A Taste of Humanity
by Sesshomaru's Bakeneko
Summary: Sesshomaru has never thought highly of humans, save his Rin, but what happens when he is stuck as one for seven days? Rated T for mild violence.
1. Prologue: Not A Good Day

**A Taste of Humanity  
**

**Disclaimer:** Sesshomaru and all characters from Inuyasha are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, not me. This story is for entertainment purposes only; I make no profit from it.

**A/N:** Reviews are appreciated. Enjoy!

* * *

**Prologue: Not a Good Day**

Sesshomaru was upset, very upset in fact. The sun hadn't even reached its zenith and already his day was not going well. His feet hurt and he was finding it increasingly difficult to keep his face expressionless and his stride unhindered. Branches that usually were worth no thought were snagging his clothes and scratching his skin. He was also tired, his armor feeling surprisingly heavy as he strode back to his tiny group.

_Earlier that morning…_

Sesshomaru left his small group of followers with a simple command to Jaken.

"Jaken," he stated, "guard Rin."

He then gracefully leaped off as he sometimes did. It was a nice day, as Rin would say, a 'good cloud day'. He heard Jaken's loud squawks at Rin, who had found a small field of flowers, steadily recede as he increased the distance between them. He caught a scent ahead of him, a human female. Unconcerned, he strode on, catching the scent of a demon nearby. A scream pierced the air and the scent of blood, human blood, reached his sensitive nose.

'_Not Rin,'_ he thought, _'just a pathetic human.'_

A large demon leaped into his path, the scent of death clinging to the foul creature. He dispatched it with his poison whip without batting an eye. He continued, but a woman, her clothes shredded and blood-soaked, staggered into his path.

"You," she croaked, "you think you are strong, yet you refuse to help those in need." She lurched forward, waving an accusing finger at him.

"This Sesshomaru does not concern himself with pathetic mortals," he stated coldly even though he thought of his ward as he did so, "move."

She did not remove herself from the path, instead she straightened. Gone was the blood and tattered clothing. She pointed her finger at him.

"You will learn," she stated, her voice suddenly strong and clear, "Seven days you will know mortality, then perhaps, you will not be so quick to dismiss humans as pathetic mortals." With a flash of blinding light, she was gone. Sesshomaru was thrown, his back slamming into a nearby tree. When his vision cleared he noticed something was wrong. His senses seemed gone and his mokomoko was missing. Glancing about himself slowly, though his head throbbed and his was far from calm, he noticed another problem. His hair, his long, silken hair fell into view, but it was no longer silver. Instead, it was pitch black. Startled, reached a hand up to check his ears, hoping to feel the reassuring pointed tips that denoted his demon heritage. His eyes noted the lack of his claws and purple markings, a growing sense of dread filling him. His fingers found only curved, human ears. His mind spun, though he managed to keep his face expressionless. He was no longer a demon.

'_That woman,'_ he decided, _'she did this. What was it she said?'_ he struggled to remember the woman's words. _'Seven days of mortality she said. I'm stuck as a mere HUMAN for seven days?!?'_ Getting up as gracefully as his weak human body could manage, he straightened his clothes and began heading back to Rin and the others. This was not turning out to be a good day.


	2. Chapter 1: Hunger

**A Taste of Humanity  
**

**Disclaimer:** Sesshomaru and all characters from Inuyasha are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, not me. This story is for entertainment purposes only; I make no profit from it.

**A/N:** Reviews are appreciated. Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 1: Hunger**

_Back to the present…_

After what seemed like forever, Sesshomaru arrived back at the camp. Jaken rushed to greet him, but stopped suddenly. His large golden eyes suddenly seemed even larger than normal.

"L…L… Lord Ss… Sesshomaru?" he sputtered, "What happened to you milord?" He was about to tell Jaken to be quiet when Rin, carrying a clump of wildflowers, rushed up to him.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" she beamed, "Look at the pretty flowers Rin found!" He glanced down at the smiling girl presenting the flowers to him. He found himself fighting the urge to smile back as he calmly took the gift.

"Thank you Rin," he said quietly. Just then she seemed to realize he looked different, cocking her head to the side quizzically.

"Why do you look different milord?" she asked innocently. He decided the truth was the best way to stop the endless flow of questions that were no doubt going to erupt from the child any moment.

"This Sesshomaru…" he paused, uncertain how to phrase what happened, "will be human for the next seven days, Rin. It may be best if you stay with the miko and my… brother." This news seemed to frighten the imp.

"Human, milord?!?" Jaken screeched, causing Sesshomaru to be silently grateful for his less-sensitive hearing. He decided to ignore the frantically babbling imp

"We are leaving," he said as he strode calmly in the direction of his brother's village.

They arrived at the village without incident, though as he saw a blur of red approaching, he knew the peace wouldn't last. His pathetic half-breed brother was not someone he wished to deal with even under normal circumstances. He was about to turn and leave his charges when his brother shouted.

"What the…?" Inuyasha circled his older brother, his nose sniffing furiously. "Is this some trick Sesshomaru? Why do you smell like a human?" He was about to answer his annoying brother when, as usual, Jaken decided to 'defend' him.

"You impudent half-breed! How dare you talk to the mighty Lord Sesshomaru that way!" Jaken waved his staff in what the imp probably thought was a menacing way, though Sesshomaru thought it was a bit comical.

"Keh," Inuyasha shrugged, "I wasn't talking to you imp." He stared at his brother, "So, what happened?"

"It is none of your concern," he replied, hoping his brother would just leave him alone. "Rin will be staying here for a few days." Turning away, he began to walk away. Inuyasha, however, leapt in front of him before he could go very far.

"Hmph," Inuyasha crossed his arms, "Not so tough anymore, are you?" Annoyed, but hiding it well, Sesshomaru was about to shove his brother aside when his miko showed up.

"Sesshomaru?" Kagome approached with Rin in tow, "Inuyasha, leave your brother alone." When Inuyasha refused to listen, she shouted out a single word, "Sit!" He was never fond of the human female, but he had to admit she had an interesting way of dealing with his brother.

"Can Lord Sesshomaru stay here with Rin?" Rin looked up at Kagome. He knew the miko wouldn't refuse Rin, but he really did not want to be around his annoying half-breed brother any longer than absolutely necessary.

"Rin…" Her soft brown eyes turned to him. "You will be staying here with Ah-Un and Jaken. This Sesshomaru will not stay here with the miko or… _him_." He took the opportunity to glare at Inuyasha, who had just pulled himself out of the hole he had made in the dirt. He made the mistake of looking back at Rin. Her eyes were moist and full of concern. He turned once more, when he felt a tug on his sleeve.

"Why don't you stay for dinner," the miko quickly removed her hand from his sleeve, "you're welcome to stay the night if you want. I'm sure Rin would appreciate it." Rin nodded enthusiastically. He was all set to refuse, but his stomach decided to pick that precise moment to make a strange growling noise. He had often heard Rin's stomach making similar noises right before she would request to look for food. Sighing silently through his nose, he allowed a giggling Rin to lead him towards one of the huts. Before entering, he noticed Jaken, complaining as usual, took Ah-Un and headed to a quiet patch of grass.

He was quite used to the smell of human food due to Rin, but it had always offended his delicate sense of smell. Now he found himself straining to keep his face from giving any sign his mouth had begun to water at the enticing smell coming from the miko's pot. It was something the miko called 'rahmehn'. She handed him a steaming cup of the strange brew and he discretely mirrored Rin, acting as if he had done this before. He found it extremely hard not to nod as enthusiastically as Rin when the miko offered seconds. It appeared his brother also enjoyed the noodles since he was already on his fifth helping and still guzzling it down. Conversation was mostly Rin and the miko talking about what had occurred since they last saw each other which suited Sesshomaru who was still fascinated by his new opinion of 'human food'.

As he finished his second helping, he noticed Kagome handing Rin a small round object. He was unbelievably curious, but he would not ask about it. It was food it seemed, as Rin popped the item into her mouth and seemed to savor it. Rin seemed to know he was curious, though he was sure he showed no outward signs of it, and turned to him with yet another illuminating smile.

"Rin loves mochi cakes," she declared happily, "would Lord Sesshomaru like to try one?" Her delicate hand held out the strange round 'cake'. He nodded and he popped the treat into his mouth. It was sweet, with some sort of paste inside. _'Delicious,' _he thought as Rin silently offered him another. He made a mental note to allow Rin the opportunity to have these cakes more often, especially since she seemed to really enjoy the sweet treats. After exhausting the miko's supply of the tasty treats, he found his armor was getting strangely heavier as the evening progressed. Fighting a strange urge to stretch his jaws, he began to relax and pondered the warmth of the fire, something that as a full-blooded demon he had found unnecessary for his own comfort. He was vaguely aware of Rin climbing into his lap as he leaned against the wall of the hut. _'Strange,'_ he thought, _'why am I suddenly so… tired?'_ Rin shifted in his lap, finding it less comfortable without his mokomoko. He wrapped an arm around her to help her settle down. He watched her as she fell asleep, her chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm. Soon, his eyes grew heavy. _'I really don't want to stay here with that brother of mine, but…' _he looked down at Rin, sound asleep in his lap,_ 'perhaps one night wouldn't be so bad.' _He glanced around the small fire one last time, noticing the miko and his brother were snuggling across from him. The girl appeared to be asleep, but Inuyasha was quietly watching him. Their eyes met and for once the half-breed did not make some insult or foolish remark. Instead, there was a look of understanding.

"Get some sleep already, would ya," Inuyasha huffed quietly. "I'm not gonna do anything to you or Rin." Sesshomaru was about to throw him a retort about how he wasn't so weak as to need sleep when he was caught off guard by his own body. A yawn so large it cracked his jaw decided to ruin the moment. Peeved by his body's lack of control he chose to ignore his brother. He turned his attention to the sounds coming from outside the hut. Even with his limited hearing he caught the sounds of Ah-Un settling down for the night and the distinct snores of Jaken. His eyes were beginning to droop and he decided a small nap wouldn't hurt. As his breathing evened out he did something most full-blooded demons do, or at least admit to do. That night, for the very first time, Lord Sesshomaru of the Western Lands dreamed.


	3. Chapter 2: Dreams

**A Taste of Humanity  
**

**Disclaimer:** Sesshomaru and all characters from Inuyasha are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, not me. This story is for entertainment purposes only; I make no profit from it.

**A/N:** Reviews are appreciated. Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 2: Dreams**

Sesshomaru was perplexed by what he saw. He somehow was back at home in the great palace of his father. He was standing in a small garden, a training area where he once was taught in easy view. He glanced at the small koi pond and his eyes widened in shock. He was a boy again. Puzzled, he looked about for his swords and Rin, but they were all missing. A noise caused him to turn and he nearly gaped openly at the person standing there. There at the entryway stood his father, clutching a tiny bundle in his arms. Suddenly, Sesshomaru realized what was happening; this was a memory, one that he had thought he had successfully forgotten. His father strode forward, beaming with joy at the tiny bundle in his mighty arms.

"Ah, my son," his father said crouching down before him, "come, meet your brother, Inuyasha." Without his consent, Sesshomaru's younger self was propelled forward by his short legs towards the bundle. He struggled against them with no luck and was also unable to prevent the memory from playing out as it had happened. _'Why,'_ he thought as he heard his hateful words spill out of his mouth, denouncing his father as a weak fool and claiming the hanyou pup as a vile taint on the family. _'Why after so long am I seeing this again' _he felt his chest tighten as he saw the sad, hurt look in his father's eyes. _'Why does it… hurt?'_ His father straightened as his sad gaze held his son's.

"You may not accept him," he said quietly, "but he is still your brother." His father turned and went to leave, pausing briefly in the doorway. "I had hoped…" his father whispered, then sighed, "…maybe when you're older." Sesshomaru watched his father leave, knowing that it was the last time he had seen his father alive. For the first time, he felt his eyes sting as unbidden tears appeared in his eyes. He had never admitted to anyone how much he missed his father. He simply shut himself off from the memories, focusing on his studies and telling himself his father had been _weak_ and had been a _fool_. His mother had made sure to strengthen that belief, blaming his downfall on his love of a pathetic human. Yet now, he could not bring himself to think of his father, the great Inu no Taisho, as either weak or as a fool. His gaze landed on one of the flowers in the garden. It was a lovely violet rose, a secret favorite of his; the color matched the crescent moon on his forehead. He wondered idly if Rin would consider it her favorite as well, she did seem to love all sorts of flowers. As if on cue, he heard Rin calling his name.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" He looked up to see a smiling Rin rushing up to him, a bunch of wildflowers clutched tightly in her hand. When she reached him, she was panting a bit from her exertion. This did not dampen her enthusiasm in the slightest. "For you milord," she said, proudly presenting the slightly battered bouquet to him. He took it without a word and before he could think of something to say, she was off and running again. An exhausted Jaken finished climbing the hill only to see her whiz back down to the field of flowers. He must have decided to simply accept defeat and collapsed with an exasperated whine not far from Sesshomaru. _'Another memory,'_ he mused, _'though a much more pleasant one.' _A piercing scream shattered the peaceful moment and Sesshomaru bolted towards the sound. When he arrived at the field he saw Rin sprawled among the flowers, her blood staining the petals of those nearby. The scent of her blood stung his nose, but under it was the scent of wolves. As he went to kneel beside her the world darkened and the flowers vanished.

They were in a forest now and Rin wasn't breathing. He lost control of his body once more as yet another memory played out. He strode away at first, though his mind rebelled against this action. _'Use the sword!' _his mind screamed,_ 'Save her!' _He knew that he would, but for some reason his heart was throbbing with such agony inside him he couldn't think rationally. _'When did she become so precious to me?'_ he wondered. She awoke and smiled up at him, the scene changing once more.

She was in the miko's hut lying on a raised bed. She was older now, her face drenched in sweat from her fever. She smiled weakly and closed her eyes to rest. He stood and left the hut to get some fresh air, escaping the stifling scent of Rin's 'flu'. As he left he came upon something that was not a memory. It appeared to be a wedding. He approached cautiously, unsure as to why he was here. _'I don't remember attending a wedding,' _he mused, _'I certainly would remember such a lavish ceremony.'_ Suddenly his brother pounced on him, grinning insanely.

"Congrats dear brother," he cheered, wobbling slightly and holding a bottle of sake. He grew serious for a moment, "You know, I think father would be proud of you. Now hurry up or you'll be late!" Confused, he allowed his younger brother to shove him towards the monk standing at the altar. He frowned slightly, until he realized what was happening. His eyes widened slightly as a woman dressed in the most beautiful wedding kimono he'd ever seen began to approach. The guests, both demons and humans he realized, voiced their approval at the beautiful bride. He became nervous. _'Who is this woman?' _he thought frantically, _'I can't make out any scents, just…' _he paused noting she had his favorite roses in her silky black hair,_ 'flowers.' _The music drifted softly to a close as his bride placed her delicate hands in his. He found himself running on auto once more as he came to the end of the vows. His hands reached gently for the veil, trying not to let them shake. As the curtain of lace was lifted, he caught a whiff of a familiar scent. _'It… it couldn't be…' _his mind reeled at what his nose was telling him. Just before he saw the face of the woman that was his bride he felt a strange pressure on his stomach. His eyes closed as his stomach twisted uncomfortably.

Opening his eyes again he realized he was back in the miko's hut, Rin's elbow digging slightly into his stomach. He shifted, careful not to wake her. He rubbed his eyes, noting the soft glow of morning slipping beneath the door. His 'nap' had been far longer than he had planned, but it had left him with much to think on. He tenderly moved a strand of black hair out of Rin's face and she snuggled into him. She mumbled his name as she occasionally would do in sleep, but what she whispered next caused a shiver to travel along his spine.

"Mmmm," Rin sighed, clutching his robe, "I do, Sesshomaru… I do."

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**A/N: **I was hoping to have this up earlier this week, but I caught a nasty cold and have been bed-ridden for the past couple days (I always get a horrid cough that weakens me drastically when I get sick). Luckily I have chapters in reserve and a wonderful husband who took great care of me (oatmeal isn't the tastiest breakfast, but getting it served in bed helps).

Ok, now to the story... you'll notice I haven't mentioned Rin's age yet. In the dream I see her as an adult, while in my 'main' story she's 13. I know back then they married young so you can see it however you would like to. Her age doesn't impact the story much (no naughty love scenes between them, sorry) so if you want to think of her as older or younger that's fine.


	4. Chapter 3: Loneliness & Humility

**A Taste of Humanity  
**

**Disclaimer:** Sesshomaru and all characters from Inuyasha are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, not me. This story is for entertainment purposes only; I make no profit from it.

**A/N:** I've noticed a few reviews have pegged this story as a "Sess/Rin romance" due to the last chapter, but it isn't. Yes, Sesshomaru's relationship with Rin grows in this story (many of his relationships do), but she is still a child and no 'romance' takes place. I wanted to focus just on Sesshomaru in this story since many stories I've seen are indeed romantic pairing of him with all sorts of females (and males) and felt he deserved a fic all to himself. I have nothing against those fics and enjoy reading many of them myself. This just isn't one of them. I actually didn't write the wedding scene thinking of Rin or anyone specific at all. I feel Rin's 'I do' bit could very well be something completely unrelated, like answering whether she likes the new kimono dream Sesshomaru got her for instance. It popped up at the same moment her arm decided to dig into him. This story is doing that a lot to me. I usually have a solid outline of events ahead of time, but this started as just the prologue idea nagging me day and night. I wrote it down, not intending to do anything further, but before I knew it I was halfway through chapter 1. I decided to make an account on here and keep writing. So far, events are springing up out of nowhere all by themselves and show no sign of stopping. I do feel it will be a good story even though there's no romance per se (I'm not just saying that because I wrote it), but you'll need to read and decide that for yourself.

If you are a fan of this and have a birthday coming up, I can upload a chapter as a gift, just let me know. I'm well ahead in writing since I have a reserve of about 3 chapters right now to prevent delays.

Reviews are appreciated. Enjoy!

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**Chapter 3: Loneliness & Humility**

The sounds of the village awakening were all around him. Rin awoke and scooted out of his lap, stretching and yawning. She poked her head out of the dark hut and Sesshomaru heard the miko offering breakfast. Rin turned to him, her head cocked to the side in question. He nodded and she smiled before darting into the awaiting sunlight. He attempted to rise and he stumbled, his body feeling stiff, sore, and quite unpleasant. Mimicking Rin's earlier stretching, though not nearly as gracefully, he found his muscles relaxing and becoming more limber. He was grateful for the privacy of the hut since he did not want to give his brother any more ammunition to taunt him with.

Once he felt he was presentable, he strode to the door and was greeted by a warm sunny day. His eyes took a moment to adjust to the sudden brightness which bothered him slightly, but seeing Rin's warm smile he relaxed. Kagome offered him a strange meal, but he accepted it graciously and took cues from Rin once again. Though not as good as the ramen was the night before, he found the taste acceptable. After the meal, Sesshomaru decided it was best if he left as originally intended. Rin was sad, but did not complain, though his brother grumbled that he was being foolish. The miko refused to let him leave until she had packed a large yellow bag full of supplies for him. Seeing the miko's determined stance, he sighed and accepted the bag, surprised by the heaviness of it. With a teary farewell from Rin and Jaken, he put the bag on Ah-Un's saddle and led the creature into the woods. _'Perhaps I can find the witch and have her remove this inconvenience,' _he thought, though he had a feeling it would be impossible. Sighing, he strode along. _'At least this way Rin is safe. As a weak human I'm unable to protect her.'_

Before long his feet were tired and his rumbling stomach was becoming annoying again. _'How often does this body need food?' _he grumbled. Ah-Un did not seem to mind stopping and happily munched a patch of grass as Sesshomaru dug through the yellow bag. He found a strange cup with colorful paintings on it. A note was attached. _'Most likely the miko,'_ he mused, reading the scribble, _'Ramen, boil water in pot. Remove lid from cup. Pour water into cup. Stir.' _ Finding a pot in the bag, he began looking for a stream. In moments he had a full pot of water and cleared a spot for the fire. He collected sufficient wood and looked to his mount. Clearing his throat uncertainly, he spoke to the creature.

"Ah-Un," he said in his usual calm, "This Sesshomaru requires a fire." Ah-Un simply looked at him, as if waiting for something. _'Why is he not doing as I wish? He never denies Rin when she wishes a fire.' _ Puzzled, he thought back to what usually happened between his ward and the two-headed dragon.

Jaken usually collected wood for the fire, his complaints easy to hear no matter how far he went to get it. Rin would catch fish or he would have a kill ready. She would look to Ah-Un and smile. The dragon would huff and come to nuzzle her.

"Ah-Un," she would say, "could you make Rin a pretty fire please?" Ah-Un would then light the bundle of wood Jaken had dropped in a heap and Rin would thank him usually with an exuberant hug.

Sesshomaru glanced around, making sure they were indeed alone. His stomach grumbled again, steeling the proud demon's resolve. Taking a deep breath, he said the one word he hadn't said since his father had died.

"Please Ah-Un," he said quietly, "This Sesshomaru would appreciate a fire." The heads seemed to consider his request and then nodded. Soon he had a decent fire for his pot. He started putting the pot to be heated, but paused. "Thank you Ah-Un," he whispered, the dragon huffed in acknowledgement. Muttering to himself, he put the pot on the fire, "This Sesshomaru is NOT going to give you a hug." He heard staggered huffs and growls from the dragon. _'He can't be laughing at me, could he?' _Shrugging off the dragon's behavior, he turned his attention to his meal. _'Remove lid from cup,' _he repeated, _'sounds simple enough.'_ The colorful cup seemed determined to deny him this simple action. Without his claws he found the strange film near impossible to remove from the container. He finally noticed extra film in one part of the cup and decided to pull. Nearly dumping the powdery contents into his lap, he finally managed to get the lid removed from the cup. By the time he composed himself again the pot began to whistle at him. He poured the liquid into the cup and stirred the contents with the supplied chopsticks. He waited a moment, knowing that humans could not tolerate such heat. With a discrete glance about, he allowed himself to breathe in the delightful scent of the ramen. With a tentative taste, he was surprised the meal was just as good as the miko's version. Once the meal was finished, he put away the supplies and continued on his way to the last place he had seen the human witch.

The trip was uneventful and Sesshomaru found himself missing his companions. _'Strange that I should miss the endless chatter of those two,' _he pondered. He felt a soft nudge against his shoulder and turned. Ah-Un huffed quietly and nuzzled into his hand.

"This Sesshomaru is not pleased with these human _feelings_," he confided to the dragon. "They make no sense." Sighing, he continued on as the sun traversed along the sky above him. _'Speaking of making no sense…' _he began pondering what the dream had meant. His father bringing his Inuyasha, hoping he would accept the half-breed. He had to admit he did not truly hate the hanyou anymore. He had felt jealous of his father's seeming favoritism towards his younger brother, but Inuyasha had proved to him many times that even though he was not a full-blooded demon, he was not weak. _'Still a fool,'_ Sesshomaru thought, a ghost of a smile sneaking onto his face, _'but he is not quite as weak as I had thought. That miko can still bring him down with a mere word though.' _He wondered what caused such an amusing result and why it seemed only the miko could do it. _'Perhaps it has to do with that necklace. It is the only visible difference since he has met the miko.' _If that was the case, Rin's comment some months before was far more dangerous.

_Flashback…_

They were visiting the miko at Rin's request. She was sitting with Kagome and Inuyasha as they chatted about herbs and flowers. The sun peaked out of the clouds and caused the black beads of his brother's necklace to shine. Rin noticed and with her usual exuberance, had begun talking about them.

"Such a pretty necklace," she commented, "do you think Lord Sesshomaru would like a necklace like this one?" Kagome laughed and shook her head. His brother laughed so hard he fell backwards off the log he was sitting on.

"I don't think so Rin," she managed between giggles.

"I dunno Kagome," he said, returning to his log, "It might be interesting to see how he reacts."

_End Flashback…_

Sesshomaru had not truly understood why the necklace could get him to react in a way the hanyou thought of as 'interesting' and had dismissed it. If it _was_ what caused his brother to take a dive into the dirt face first every time the miko said 'sit' then he would be certain to not allow Rin to give him such a necklace. He realized that refusing any 'gift' from her would be far harder than he would like. He found her tears quite unpleasant and tended to let her have her way in order to avoid such discomfort. _'It is not because I care,' _he insisted to himself, though it felt half-hearted.

A tree root decided to pull him away from his thoughts and he ungracefully managed to avoid mimicking his brother's head-first plummets he always found amusing. Ah-Un seemed confused by his haphazard flailing, but a glare from Sesshomaru quieted any vocalization the creature was going to make.

"You did not see that," he grumbled. _'I've never had trouble before…' _He realized that it had gotten quite dark and he would need to stop for the night soon. _'Humans have such weak night vision.'_ He found an acceptable spot and settled down for yet another meal. He decided to forgo the ramen and instead try to get some fish from the nearby stream. _'Rin has no problem catching fish,' he reasoned, 'it should be simple.' _He tied Ah-Un to a tree near some grass and headed confidently to the stream.

When he arrived at the stream he removed his armor and his outer clothing and placed them on the bank. He found a small cluster of silver fish and plunged his hands towards one of them. The fish scattered and Sesshomaru growled at his unsuccessful first attempt. Determined to not be outsmarted by mere fish, he tried again… and again. His fourth attempt to catch the slippery creatures caused him to slip on the wet rocks on the stream, plunging him into the cool water. Drenched and fuming, he rolled up his soaked sleeves and growled at his prey.

"This Sesshomaru will have fish for dinner," he vowed, his stoic face twisted into a determined fury. _'If Rin can do this then so can I.' _He changed tactics and after another half dozen attempts, he had his fish. He wrung out his clothes as best he could and collected his armor and outer garments. He found himself grinning broadly and quickly tried to return to his stoic mask as he returned to camp. When he returned, Ah-Un seemed unsure of him. He realized he probably looked very unlike his usual self. His black hair was dripping wet and plastered in disarray and he was half-naked, his clothing and armor carelessly slung over his shoulder. He looked at the dragon, a slight frown on his face.

"Fish," he stated to the creature holding his catch out for emphasis, "is a very elusive prey." A huff from the dragon was his only reply as he skewered the fish and collected firewood together. Looking up at Ah-Un he found the words much easier to say this time. "Ah-Un," the two heads looked up from their grazing, "would you please start a fire?" There was no hesitation this time and soon he was drying off by a warm fire as his fish cooked. As he sat before the fire he found himself missing his companions again. Rin loved to sing or hum when she had dinner with him. He noticed she did not do so when they were with the miko and his brother. _'Perhaps she just does it for me,'_ it seemed possible, though a more logical reason was probably more accurate. _'Though logic doesn't always matter when Rin is involved…' _Noticing his fish was fully-cooked, he snatched his prize and dug in. _'Catching a fish is far more difficult that I had anticipated. I should praise Rin more for doing so, especially if she manages to stay dry.' _His stomach full from his catch, he put his robe back on, but left his armor beside him. It was far too uncomfortable to sleep in with his more sensitive human body. As Sesshomaru tried to find a comfortable place to sleep, Ah-Un nudged the yellow bag on his back. He saw this and came over to the dragon. Digging through the bag he found two small rolls of fabric.

"Thank you, Ah-Un," he said, giving the animal a quick pat before realizing what he had done. He shrugged off the strange behavior as simply being overtired and spread out the first blanket near the fire. Settling down for the night, Sesshomaru was a bit nervous. _'What sort of dreams will I have tonight?'_ he wondered. Closing his eyes, he heard the distant rumble of thunder.


	5. Chapter 4: Illness

**A Taste of Humanity  
**

**Disclaimer:** Sesshomaru and all characters from Inuyasha are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, not me. This story is for entertainment purposes only; I make no profit from it.

**A/N:** Reviews are appreciated. Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 4: Illness**

Sesshomaru rolled over for the umpteenth time, struggling to find a position that did not have a rock or root digging into him. The increasing volume of the approaching storm was not helping him fall asleep either. As he sat up, Ah-Un huffed and sniffed the air. He looked up at the heavy clouds that blocked out the dim light given off by the moon and stars. Just then a large wet droplet landed on his nose. It was quite cold and he decided it would be best not to be out in such weather. Untying Ah-Un and packing up his meager supplies, he mounted the dragon and went searching for shelter. The rain began to splatter him in earnest and soon he was completely drenched. _'I need to get out of this rain,' _he mused, _'Rin would get sick if she was caught in such weather.'_ Finally finding a small cave, Ah-Un flew down and landed just under the entrance's rocky overhang. Giving the two-headed beast a pat of thanks, Sesshomaru slid off and took the supplies off the dragon's back. He felt his body shake involuntarily. _'Great,' _he thought sarcastically, _'this human body needs warmth quickly.' _He managed to find some semi-dry wood at the cave entrance and was mildly surprised when Ah-Un lit the firewood without being asked this time. Stripping his sodden clothing off, he wrapped one of the blankets around him. He used the other to dry his hair as he draped his clothing near the fire to dry. Feeling cold and miserable, he curled himself by the fire. He shivered, clutching the thin blanket closer to him. Exhaustion soon got the better of him and he fell asleep, Ah-Un curled behind him. The great beast shielding his fragile human body from the wind and cold outside as the storm raged on.

Sesshomaru awoke to his body heaving and coughing. He felt weak. He felt his head, noting it felt far too warm even as he felt chill. _'Fever,'_ he concluded from the times Rin had experienced similar symptoms. _'Perhaps I should have stayed at that human village…'_ He tried digging in the bag for a remedy, but his vision was blurry and he was too weak from coughing. Too tired to move, he curled into a ball with the blanket and slipped into a fitful slumber. Twisted versions of memories flitted into his dreams as he fought against the illness griping him.

A strange voice flitted around him and he did not know if he was awake or still dreaming. Barely opening his eyes, he noticed a hazy silhouette in the predawn light, his vision still unfocused from the fever. A wet coolness was felt on his brow and gentle hands guided him to drink something that tasted as foul as it smelled. The woman, as far as he could tell, was elderly, but still seemed strong despite her years. Her voice was soft and a bit reedy to his impaired senses.

"Your father tried…but…" he found it hard to focus on her words, trying not to slip back into unconsciousness. _'Something in the drink, it is making me sleepy.' _"wasn't... enough….compassion not enough. I promised…him ...Izayoi…." he registered Inuyasha's mother's name and realized 'him' must mean his father. _'Who is this woman? What had she promised?' _

"I would teach…. not weak…bound…blood…seven days...not harm…only teach… you must learn… must learn …my nephew." This caused a chill to run through him. _'This was the witch who cursed me! Yet she knows my father and…' _he struggled to keep his thoughts together as she gently changed the cloth on his head. _ 'She calls me nephew? How can this human be an aunt to me?' _His mind reeling with this information, he slipped into a dreamless sleep.

When he awoke again, his vision was much clearer. He noticed he was no longer in the cave, but a hut. Struggling to sit up he glanced around the familiar room. As if aware he was awake, Kagome came in with some herbs in hand. Preparing the kettle for tea, she glanced at him.

"How long?" it hurt to talk, his voice sounding weak and hoarse. He hated it. He was not weak.

"You've been asleep for two days since you were brought here," she replied softly. "You still need rest though." Her tiny hand forced him to lie back down. "You're lucky Aimi found you, you know."

"That woman…" he struggled to sit back up, "she did this to me!" Just then the elderly woman strode inside the hut. She checked the tea and poured a small cup. Feeling cornered, he tried to growl at her, but only ended up coughing painfully.

"Now, now," she chided, "if I wished you harm would you be back here?" Defeated, he settled for glaring at her, but drank the tea she held out to him. He noticed the miko had left, leaving him alone with the witch. It seemed his head would burst from all the questions buzzing in his head.

"Why?" it was the easiest to start with, considering the pain in his throat. He studied her as she sat down beside him. Gazing into her brown eyes, he waited as she collected her thoughts.

"I made a promise," she said finally, her voice soft. "Do you remember the day your father introduced you to your brother?" He nodded, recalling the dreams he had his first night as a human. "He and Izayoi were saddened greatly by your rejection of the boy." Sesshomaru remembered the sad look in his father's eyes that day. "He made the swords you both carry, each with a purpose. You learned the lesson he tried to teach you?"

"Compassion," he whispered, remembering the pain losing Rin had caused him. She nodded and continued.

"Yet you did not try to aid me that day," she stated calmly. "I told your father it would not be enough. I promised him and my sister that I would teach you… give you a taste of humanity, if it was not enough." He grew angry at the woman. _'How dare she?' _he seethed, _'I am not some pup to be lectured and by a human no less!' _She seemed to not notice, or perhaps ignored, his shift in mood. Taking his hands in her wrinkled ones, she smiled sadly. "You can not truly understand something unless you experience it. You are free to hate me nephew, but I made a promise. Killing me will not remove the spell. Your demon blood will remain bound for the seven days. You have two more to learn what you must."

"I am not your nephew witch!" he spat, but she was unfazed. She gently squeezed his hands and rose.

"As you wish, Sesshomaru," she sighed, "but I want you to know one last thing before I go." He met her eyes once more, noting the sadness there. "Your father loved you. No matter what you may think of him, remember that." Without another word, she left the hut. Sitting alone in the darkness, he pondered her words.


	6. Chapter 5: Family

**A Taste of Humanity  
**

**Disclaimer:** Sesshomaru and all characters from Inuyasha are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, not me. This story is for entertainment purposes only; I make no profit from it.

**A/N:** Reviews are appreciated. Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 5: Family**

He sat holding the long-empty tea cup deep in thought. _'Father loved me? He had said he loved that human, Izayoi. Love is for the weak, the pathetic, and the fools. I am not weak. I do not need love.' _The sound of the door opening drew him from his thoughts. Someone peered shyly into the hut. With an obvious attempt at stealth, Rin entered the hut, carrying a small bag with her. Seeing him watching her, she scurried to him, her usual smile bright even in the shadows of the miko's hut. She seemed to be hesitant of others hearing.

"Rin," he said softly, drawing her attention. She beamed at him, presenting the tiny bag.

"Rin has brought you something to eat, Lord Sesshomaru," she whispered. He opened the bag and pulled out a small round object. _'Mochi cakes? She brought me her favorite desserts?'_ He popped the treat into his mouth, enjoying the taste of something aside from the foul teas he was being given. "They wouldn't let Rin in to see you," she pouted, "Rin was worried. Rin… missed you." He looked into the girl's eyes. Even without his demon senses, he could see her emotions written clearly on her face.

"Th…" he paused, _'I should not say it… but…' _"This Sesshomaru missed you too, Rin." Surprise, then joy spread across her face. She threw her arms around him, something she had always refrained from before. Though startled by her action, he found he was not displeased. He instead wrapped his arms around her, returning the hug. She shifted in the hug and grabbed the bag of cakes. Looking up at him, she offered him another. Not wanting to remove his arms from around her, he took the cake from her with his mouth. She giggled and he found himself smiling softly as well. She reached into the bag and began feeding him the sweet desserts as he cradled her in his arms.

All too soon the bag was empty and Rin started to leave. He pulled her tighter to him, the empty bag falling to the floor. _'What am I doing? Why do I not want her to go?' _Rin did not argue with his continued embrace and decided instead to cuddle into him further. He wasn't wearing his usual armor and her warmth against him gave him an odd sensation of contentment. _'She has grown quite a bit since I first met her,' _he thought, studying his young ward. She was thirteen now, still young, but she had insisted on returning to him. _'She could've stayed here, found a human mate, could have had a normal life.' _Yet she chose him, a demon. He realized he did not know why she had chosen a life wandering alongside a demon over a safe, normal life here in the village.

"Rin," he whispered, his chest suddenly tight with uncertainty. She looked up at him, her eyes shimmering in the faint light. "Why did you wish to return to me?" _'What has gotten into me? Why do I care what her reasons are?' _"You could've stayed here. You still could if you wish." He felt her shift a bit in his arms.

"No," she said simply, shaking her head. "I wish to stay with you. I…" He noticed she dropped her usual third-person speech. She looked down shyly, but didn't continue. Taking her chin in hand, he tilted her head so their eyes met. He gazed at her softly, hoping she would continue. She licked her lips uncertainly. "This village is nice, but… it isn't home. Home is special, it's… my home… is with you." Her cheeks flushed slightly at this admission. He found himself engulfed in warmth. _'Her home is with me? Does she wish to be my… No, she must know I won't become tainted like my father, yet…' _he contemplated her statement, remembering his dream nights before. "Lord Sesshomaru?" He pulled himself from his thoughts realizing Rin was looking anxious.

"What is wrong Rin?" She began chewing her lower lip, a habit she had when she was nervous.

"Are you mad at Rin?" Shocked by the girl's question, he pulled her to him.

"Why would you think that?" He was being far more talkative than he usually was, but it didn't feel as odd as he thought it would. He felt, at ease with her, knowing she had no hidden agenda, unlike many demons he typically dealt with.

"You seemed upset at my answer," her voice was so soft he had to strain to hear her.

"No," he assured her, "This Sesshomaru is not upset with your answer." He closed his eyes briefly, gathering his thoughts. "I am simply trying to understand." Her eyes widened a bit as she noticed he had dropped his third-person speech as well. _'I must be getting soft…'_

"Oh… Home is where those you care for are," she explained, "It's a special place; a safe, happy place. When my family was killed, I lost my home too. Then you came. I had a new home… a new… family." Sesshomaru's eyes widened slightly. _'She… she sees me as family. Jaken and Ah-Un as well, by the sound of it. We make an odd family to be sure.' _He nodded his understanding and she smiled. She began talking about how Jaken was like a grumpy old grandfather and he found himself smiling as well. She babbled on about random things and he was content to just listen to her voice. Before long he found himself growing sleepy once more, the sound of Rin's chatter soothing him as well as any lullaby. Content for the first time in centuries, Sesshomaru drifted off to sleep.

Sesshomaru awoke to the sound of the door to the hut opening. Through his sleep-heavy eyes he saw the miko approach him. He noticed the soft smile on her lips and remembered Rin had snuck in to see him. Glancing down he saw her cuddled into his arms fast asleep. He returned his gaze to the miko, unsure how to regain his dignity after being found in such a position. She simply kept smiling and wrapped a blanket around the sleeping girl.

"I told her you needed rest, but she must have really wanted to see you." Kagome noticed the empty bag on the floor and her smile widened. "Seems I've discovered where the cakes disappeared to." Sesshomaru felt his cheeks heat guiltily. _'Why am I feeling guilt? Rin pilfered the cakes not me, yet she did it for me…'_ Shoving the strange feeling aside he stared at the miko. She was his brother's mate, so therefore his sister-in-law, yet he rarely used her name, let alone acknowledged they were now family. _'That woman claimed to be family as well,' _he thought, _'yet if she is Izayoi's sister she would be Inuyasha's aunt, not mine. However, he and I _are_ brothers, albeit _half-_brothers…'_ His attention turned back to the miko who was preparing more tea. He didn't think he needed more of the foul brew, but she was more familiar with frail human bodies than he was. When he took a sip however, it was not the same drink he had been given for his illness. It had a light, refreshing taste with a hint of honey.

"You were expecting more of that herbal tea weren't you?" Kagome asked. He nodded, not sure how to take her knowing smirk. _'She is a miko,' _he told himself, _'of course she knows the stuff is foul-tasting, yet that smirk… does she enjoy making people drink the horrid stuff?' _He found himself smirking at the thought of her giving the stuff to his brother. Rin shifted against him, a strand of hair falling into her face. With surprising tenderness, he brushed the hair back into place. A smile appeared on her face just before her brown eyes opened to stare calmly up at him. Her words the night before came back to him. _'I have always acted as if I have no family,' _he realized, _'yet here I am surrounded by those who are family… those who… care.'_ It was strangely comforting, knowing he was not alone. He sipped his tea as Rin rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. _'Two more days left until I return to my demon self. Two more days to learn whatever my 'aunt' wants me to learn.' _He had to admit his anger towards the woman was steadily fading. He was becoming curious instead. _'What lesson could a powerful dog demon learn by having a taste of humanity?' _He set the empty cup down and noticed the miko had left. Rin, however, was quietly watching him from his lap. He wondered why she had not gone outside since she loved bright, sunny days and it looked to be just that today. Yet she sat in his lap watching him in the shadowy hut.

"Rin," he said softly, though he was not sure what to say. She blinked and realized his question without him asking it.

"Rin wants to stay with you milord," she said, "Perhaps you would get better faster out in the nice sunny weather?" He smiled as he realized she wanted to be outside, yet did not want to leave him alone in the hut. He nodded and she sprang up out of his lap. He expected her to wait anxiously by the door, yet again he was surprised. She stayed close, ready to aid him should his legs be too weak to support him after being left unused for so long. He managed to stand on his wobbly legs and, with just the subtle assistance of Rin's shoulder, he strode slowly from the hut. Before he could take more than a couple steps out of the hut, a red blur appeared before him.

"What are you doing out of bed?" his brother demanded. Sesshomaru could tell that his brother was concerned even though he tried to cover it with his usual gruff demeanor. _'It's odd,' _he thought, _'I try to kill him so often for being weak, yet when I'm the weak one he shows concern.' _Though secretly touched by Inuyasha's concern, he adopted his usual attitude.

"This Sesshomaru does not need to explain himself to a half-breed like you," he stated coldly, though he could have sworn it sounded different than normal. His brother seemed to pick up on it as well, the white ears on his head twitching about.

"Keh," Inuyasha shrugged and then clapped a clawed hand on his older brother's shoulder. "Your attitude seems healthy enough so I guess you'll live. Don't overdo it or Kagome will have my head for letting you leave the hut." Before he had a chance to reply, his brother was a blur again. _'Continuing his patrol no doubt,'_ he mused. Rin seemed unfazed by the half-demon and continued leading him out into the sun-drenched village.


	7. Chapter 6: Habits

**A Taste of Humanity  
**

**Disclaimer:** Sesshomaru and all characters from Inuyasha are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, not me. This story is for entertainment purposes only; I make no profit from it.

**A/N:** Remember to vote in the poll on my profile page! Reviews are appreciated. Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 6: Habits**

The village was small and fairly quiet, but there were a few people around. None took much notice of the now-human demon lord and his ward. Beside a large pile of long grass, a few elderly women were hard at work on what seemed to be baskets. He watched silently as they took great care choosing the blades of grass that would be woven into their baskets. Rin noticed he had stopped to watch them and decided to narrate as if it were a tour.

"Rin learned to make baskets like those while she was here," she explained. "They are used to store lots of different things like herbs and fruits. Some are used in cooking too, for steaming vegetables and fish." He nodded to show he heard her and they continued strolling through the village. She led him up a small dirt path to a large cherry tree, its tiny buds promising an abundance of blossoms later in the season. She seemed to sense his waning energy and helped him sit beneath the tree. _'How is it she can read me so easily?' _he wondered, _'I showed no outward sign I was tiring, yet she knew.'_ He decided to think on that later and suddenly realized Rin had left. Glancing about he saw no sign of the girl and his chest began to tighten with worry. Just then his brother showed up, perched in the tree above.

"Relax, would you?" he huffed, "She's just down the hill picking you some flowers." Sesshomaru looked where his brother pointed and sure enough Rin came skipping up the hill with a large clump of flowers in hand. He let out the breath he didn't realize he was holding and looked back up to his brother only to discover he had left.

"Rin thought flowers might make you feel better Lord Sesshomaru," she said sweetly. He took the flowers and found their scent quite pleasant. _'I see. To a human nose, these are indeed very nice. She doesn't realize my usual demon nose finds them irritating.' _He recalled the time she had brought him bouquet after bouquet of wildflowers until he was practically covered in them. He had been quite proud of himself for not breaking his stoic expression the entire time, though he had to hide his sneezes and his diminished ability to smell from his companions for a full week. Luckily, she had kept the flowers to one clump from then on. She plopped down beside him and looked up at him nervously. He caught her fidgeting and decided to encourage an explanation.

"Rin…" He had learned that just saying her name could illicit a response from her. Depending on the tone, he could ask or command a variety of things, all with just her name. He noticed none of the other humans seemed to fully utilize this mode of communication, though the miko used it on his brother a few times and human mothers seemed to use it occasionally on their children. _'Perhaps Rin's mother also used it. Does that mean she sees me as a mother? No, of course not; that's such a foolish notion. Though, perhaps she sees me as a father.'_ He was uncertain how he felt about her being his 'daughter', but before he could continue his thought, she decided to reply to his prompting.

"Rin was going to ask something foolish, milord," she admitted, "it is not important." She had never held back asking anything just because it was foolish before. He had plenty of memories to prove that. So, he did what he always would when she did or said something odd. He arched an eyebrow at her.

"As you wish," he said calmly, knowing it would get her to do one of two things. She would either forget about it and happily jump to a completely different train of thought or blurt out whatever it was she had wanted to ask. He had a feeling which it would be and allowed himself a small smile as he was proven correct.

"Rin has seen a lot of the other girls her age wearing braids with pretty flowers in their hair and…" she took a deep breath and in a rush blurted out her question, "wouldLordSessomarubraidRin'shairandputprettyflowersinit?" He blinked, surprised. He had somehow understood the girl's jumbled request, but had no idea how to respond. _'She wants me to braid her hair and put pretty flowers in it? I'm a demon lord. I have no knowledge on how to braid hair let alone the embarrassment of being caught performing such a thing…' _Yet he knew if he said 'no' she would be unhappy. He hated it when she was unhappy since it usually meant tears. Tears were unacceptable. So, with a deep breath and a slow sigh, he nodded to Rin.

"If you will show this Sesshomaru an example of a braid, then this Sesshomaru will braid your hair." He felt strangely content with his decision, humiliating though it would be if discovered. Rin grinned and took a small sample of his long black hair. She separated it into three sections and began to braid his hair. It was surprisingly simple. He shook out the braid she had made in his hair and she sat in his lap, her long black hair awaiting his attention. Separating it into the three sections like she had done, he began braiding her hair, adding flowers from the collection she had brought into it as he went along. He found it was quite enjoyable, though he would never admit it to anyone. Once he finished, she handed him a small red ribbon. He tied it to the bottom of the braid in a flawless bow which was rewarded with one of her brilliant smiles and a hug.

"Thank you," she murmured softly as she hugged him close. He decided the risk of embarrassment was well worth it after all.

They stayed under the tree for awhile, Rin chattering about how this cloud looked like Ah-Un and the one over there looked like him in his true form. He had to agree that one did look suspiciously like his brother after the miko said 'sit' a few times. _'I never noticed these things before Rin,' _he realized. _'Even then I tended to dismiss them as foolish.'_ He did find himself enjoying the more 'foolish' activities now that he was human, yet he wondered why. _'I am still myself,'_ he mused, _'I didn't become someone else entirely simply by becoming human. So why do I act and see things differently now?' _He did notice emotions were far stronger than before. It was much harder to control them and keep his face devoid of expression. His body would have physical reactions to emotions as well which bothered him even more than the actual emotions did. Things like hunger and exhaustion were more demanding on his body as well. As a demon, he could ignore either for days before becoming physically impaired. Now, he needed multiple meals a day and plenty of rest each night in order to simply function normally. The weather impacted him too. Still, for all the faults humans seemed to have, he did find a few new things enjoyable. The soft warmth of the sun on his skin, the tickling breeze in his hair, content moments spent with Rin, even the sweet fragrance of flowers and the tempting taste mochi cakes made being human less annoying to the demon. Yet he found his actions quite baffling. As a demon, he would never have braided Rin's hair, he would not allow himself to debate whether a cloud resembled himself or not, nor would he ever have stopped to watch a few elderly women make baskets.

'_However,' _he realized, _'when I was younger I probably wouldn't have given any of this a second thought.' _He remembered his father, before he met Izayoi. He remembered laughing and acting much like Rin would. He loved spending time in the family garden with his father. _'Then she came and destroyed it all…' _he fumed. _'Yet maybe she didn't intend to. It was my mother who changed things. Mother called father weak, called him a fool. I remember them fighting. She convinced me he had betrayed us, but was that really true?' _It had been an arranged marriage to his mother; not one of love. She had tolerated his father as necessary. Females did not rule the Western Lands._ 'What would've happened had I not taken her side? Would he still be alive if I had accepted my brother then?' _The questions spun unanswered in his mind. He remembered how his mother had raised him after his father's death, trained him to show no emotion, to view humans as weak and pathetic creatures, and to kill without mercy. _'What would happen if I rejected all of that now? I know Jaken would faint if he heard me laugh or even saw me smile.' _He found himself chuckling at the image of the imp's horrified look and collapse. Rin looked up at him and smiled. She didn't seem at all shocked by his show of emotions lately and seemed to respond quite noticeably to them. Her new habit of giving him hugs was probably due to his more emotional demeanor. He did enjoy the displays of affection, though he was not sure if he would continue once he was a demon again. _'Why should it change?'_ he wondered. He decided he would allow her to continue with the hugs regardless.

The sound of someone approaching drew Sesshomaru from his thoughts. It was the miko. _'I really should stop calling her that,' _he thought. She was his sister now; he should start showing her proper respect. _'She also just took care of me for two days while I was sick and feverish.' _He nodded to her as she came closer.

"Kagome," he acknowledged politely. She seemed a bit surprised, but quickly recovered.

"Inuyasha said you two were here," she commented, "I thought you might want some lunch." She presented them with a small basket. He took it carefully and decided to surprise her further.

"Thank you." He considered giving her a small smile and decided against it. _'I don't want to completely traumatize her.'_ She smiled and nodded. As she made her way down the hill he could've sworn he heard her say something about wishing Inuyasha was as polite, but dismissed it. He peered into the basket, finding a variety of interesting items. Rin seemed to recognize the basket.

"This is one I made!" she exclaimed cheerfully. It was a very nice basket as far as he could tell. Its varying colors created a subtle swirl pattern along the top edge. For some reason it reminded him of his true form. "I was thinking of your true form when making this," she admitted. "See it swirls like your fur does." He nodded since it did indeed swirl like his fur did. He was a bit surprised she had been able to put such a fluid design into something that seemed very rigid. He studied the basket further, noting the subtle color shifts in the grasses of the design, giving it the illusion of a raised design.

"It is very impressive Rin," he said honestly. She seemed surprised at first, then decided to give him a hug. He was starting to think he would develop an addiction to these warm, affectionate displays. When she finally released him, she began digging through the contents of the basket. Luckily, she seemed to know what each item was and happily informed him of each piece of food as they ate. They came to small boxes of brightly colored things rolled in what appeared to be rice. The names of the small pieces of food were confusing to him, but he noticed she referred to most of them by shape and color when stating preferences. He found himself agreeing that the rectangular pink ones were tastier than the round black ones, but while she favored the square red ones, he liked the round yellowish-orange ones best. They continued eating the various tidbits of their lunch when they came to a small box. Inside were treats he was becoming quite familiar with… mochi cakes. There were only four and he found himself playfully trying to 'steal' her cakes while she tried to grab his. Stomachs full, they reclined against the tree together. He found himself getting drowsy again and didn't notice his brother had dropped by until his face was two inches in front of his own. He tried to hide his surprise, but failed. His brother was sniffing him as if unsure who he was.

"What have you done with my brother?" Inuyasha asked, still sniffing him cautiously. He was confused. _'Did he somehow forget I have been cursed into a human?'_

"This Sesshomaru has done nothing with 'your brother'," he stated calmly. Inuyasha plopped down in front of him as if trying to decide something.

"Then why is Kagome insisting you're an imposter all of a sudden?" _'I show some respect to her for once and she thinks I'm an imposter?'_

"Perhaps, this Sesshomaru showing your mate respect was too traumatic for her," he replied.

"Keh," his brother huffed, "As if you would ever… wait a minute, you aren't kidding, are you?" He simply raised an eyebrow. "No, you're right, you don't kid. Since when did you decide to stop being a jerk?"

"I believe your mate uses that term on you often enough, dear brother," he quipped, dropping the third-person speech. _'I do find it annoying at times.'_ He heard Rin stifling a giggle next to him. His brother merely looked stunned. _'Is it my joke or the lack of my usual 'this Sesshomaru' that has him stunned?' _He watched as the emotions crossed his younger brother's face in steady waves: shock, disbelief, anger, and finally amusement. Then, his brother smirked.

"True enough," he admitted finally, "you gave her quite a shock with whatever it was you said. She was trying to get Jaken to let her borrow Ah-Un so she could go get Miroku. She thought you'd become possessed or something." His brother chuckled. "What did you say to her anyway?"

"I just used her name and said 'thank you' when she brought us lunch. I did not think it would panic her." _'I wonder what would've happened if I had smiled at her? Have I really been so disrespectful to her that a simple thank you causes her to think I've been possessed?' _That thought bothered him more than he anticipated.

"Why the sudden change?" his brother asked, distracting him from his thoughts. _'Should I tell him the truth? I've never admitted not knowing why I've done something… and to do so to this half-breed… no, he is my brother. The fact he is a half-demon should not matter anymore. He proved himself to be strong and capable many times already.'_

"I honestly don't know," he admitted, "Perhaps her tending to me while I was ill made me realize she deserved my respect. She is my sister-in-law now after all." He waited, unsure how his brother would take his honest answer. Inuyasha nodded.

"I'm glad you've finally accepted her and I'm sure she is too," he smiled, "you think it's just you being human doing it? I know my feelings get all jumbled during my human nights."

"I don't think so," he paused, considering, "I've been doing a great deal of thinking lately; thinking about father." Inuyasha moved to sit next to him. He noticed his brother seemed sad now.

"I wish I remembered him," Inuyasha whispered. "I was still too young when he died." His brother hung his head, his long bangs hiding his eyes. Sesshomaru felt an ache to reach out and comfort his little brother. _'I miss him, yet he never got to know him.' _Uncertain, he reached out and put his arm around his brother.

"You look like him," he said softly, "though he had my markings. He was a great general; strong and respected."

"He didn't have my ears," his brother joked half-heartedly. He noticed Inuyasha's eyes were wet, but he didn't mention it.

"No, those are uniquely yours, dear brother," he smiled softly. "He loved spending time in the family garden. He always seemed to have time for me, always had a story to tell, always willing to listen." He notice Inuyasha was leaning into his embrace now, a faraway look in his golden eyes as if trying to visualize what Sesshomaru was saying. _'He's still so young,' _he realized. _'I'm the only link he has to our father.' _Giving Inuyasha an encouraging hug, he decided to continue telling his little brother about their father. Rin seemed happy to listen as well and curled up against his other side.


	8. Chapter 7: Loss & Grief

**A Taste of Humanity  
**

**Disclaimer:** Sesshomaru and all characters from Inuyasha are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, not me. This story is for entertainment purposes only; I make no profit from it.

**A/N:** Please take a moment to vote in my new profile poll. Reviews are appreciated. Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 7: Loss & Grief**

"…and that was the last time I saw him alive." Sesshomaru finished his story. It was the first time he had ever talked about his father and was by far the longest duration he had spoken for. He had learned to be a demon of few words after his father's death and his mother had refused to talk about his father aside from insisting he was a weak fool and a traitor to the clan as well as his family. Inuyasha had sat quietly for much of the story, asking a few questions to clarify certain aspects of demon society he had never experienced. Sesshomaru was surprised his brother didn't talk more since he always seemed to have something to say. _'I'm the talkative one all of a sudden,' _he mused, _'It's as if we've switched places.'_ He didn't mind since talking about his father had made him feel lighter inside, as if he had finally been relieved of carrying a great burden.

"You really miss him," Inuyasha said softly, phrasing the question more like a statement.

"Yes," he admitted, "For a long time, I blamed you and your mother for his death." His brother looked at him, a brow raised in question. "I've decided it wasn't her fault, nor was it yours. I worry it is somehow my fault instead."

"No," his brother insisted and squeezed his shoulder gently, "It wasn't because you rejected me. He fought a hard battle and was severely hurt when he tried to save us. Nothing you could've done would've changed that." Reluctantly, Sesshomaru nodded. _'He's right. I just wish there had been something I could've done.'_

"It still hurts," he whispered, surprising himself at the admission. "We parted on such bad terms. I was so angry at him. I…" His voice choked. He felt tears well up in his eyes and stream down his cheeks unhindered. _'This is pathetic! You are a demon lord not some helpless pup! Cease this foolishness!' _the voice in his head sounded more like his mother than his own thoughts. He wiped his eyes trying to stem the steady flow. "I'm the weak fool, not him…" He was surprised when he was wrapped in not one, but two hugs just then.

"You're not weak nor a fool, milord," came Rin's slightly muffled voice as she clung to his waist.

"She's right you know," Inuyasha whispered, his voice seeming to catch. Glancing at his little brother, Sesshomaru saw he was also crying. "Grieving is a natural way of dealing with loss. There is no weakness in it." He was surprised at hearing such a sage bit of advice from his brother. Without realizing it, he raised an eyebrow. Inuyasha chuckled. "Yeah, that's Miroku for you. When he isn't being a pervert, he actually gives good advice." He relaxed, enjoying the support of his brother and ward as he let the pain out. _'All this time I never realized the burdens I carried. I stayed cold and uncaring, thinking I was being strong, yet I was alone, alone in my pain. Now, I have those that care… I have a family again.' _Soon the tears stopped and he looked at his 'family'. He still missed his father and probably always would, but he felt the tightness in him vanish. _'The pain is gone. After centuries of bearing it alone, it's finally gone.'_ He noticed someone approaching them. He pulled gently out of the embraces and wiped away the tears drying on his cheeks. His brother quickly wiped his face with his sleeve as Kagome trekked up the hill.

"Are you three going to be here all night?" she huffed, smiling. "Dinner is almost ready."

"Are we having…?"

"Yes, Inuyasha," she answered his question before he could finish it. "We are having ramen tonight." Sesshomaru had to admit he would be a white blur next to his brother's red one if he had his demon speed. Since he didn't, he settled for striding purposefully towards the hut behind the red blur, Rin and Kagome following close behind.

As he approached the hut, the scent of the cooking ramen seemed to awaken his dormant hunger. Once inside he noticed Inuyasha standing impatiently above the pot. He could tell by his younger brother's grumpy expression that the ramen was not quite ready yet. He watched as Inuyasha plopped himself down by the pot and decided to sit beside him, foregoing his prior spot against the far wall. Rin entered shortly after he settled down next to his brother and was soon curled into his lap. _'She'll be too big for my lap soon,' _he realized, slightly upset by the thought. _'Knowing Rin, she'll find some other way to be close to me.'_ He looked down at his young ward and her bright smile helped cheer him. Kagome finally entered and checked the pot. He watched patiently as she poured cups for everyone. He took his cup and dug in, enjoying the warmth surrounding their small group. _'It's not just the fire,' _he thought, _'here in this hut is my family.' _A light-hearted conversation started between Kagome and his brother. Inuyasha playfully huffed at her question.

"We weren't trying to kill each other if that's what you're worried about," his brother stuffed more ramen into his mouth as if to deter more questions from her. Sesshomaru realized too late that meant he was the next target for questioning.

"So, Sesshomaru," she asked sweetly, "what were you two doing this whole time?" He glanced down into his cup, unsure if he even wanted to be able to answer her. Rin beamed at her and decided to rescue him.

"Lord Sesshomaru was telling us a story," she said. He was pleased she did not go into further details.

"Oh? What kind of story?" Sesshomaru worried Rin might say too much if he didn't intercept her.

"I was telling them a story about Inu no Taisho," he hoped that would end her questions. He did not want to go into what happened after the story. Luckily, she seemed satisfied with his answer.

"That's wonderful," she said happily, "I'm so glad the two of you seem to finally be getting along." The conversation turned to more relaxing topics for awhile and Sesshomaru suddenly remembered someone was missing.

"Where is Jaken? Inuyasha said you were talking to him earlier," he glossed over the part where his brother had said she thought he was possessed. Kagome stopped eating for a moment and smiled.

"Jaken seems to dislike human villages so he's camped with Ah-Un by the well," she paused to refill Inuyasha's cup for the fifth time, then continued, "He refuses to set foot into the village even though you and Rin are both here. I tried bringing him some food and he threw a fit!" She threw up her hands to express her frustration at the imp. "It seems this village is good enough for the great Lord Sesshomaru, but not his high and mighty vassal." He found this less amusing than the others did. _'High and mighty Jaken indeed,'_ he mused, _'He will get a few beatings for such insolence once this curse ends.'_ As dinner ended, the conversation drifted off as well. Sesshomaru stretched lazily, feeling content and happy. A thought crossed his mind right before he started heading to bed.

"If I'm sleeping here, where are you two sleeping? This hut only has one bedroom."

"We've been staying in Miroku's hut," Inuyasha explained, "He and Sango are at her family's village with Kohaku and Kirara." He nodded, satisfied.

"Kagome…?" Rin asked uncertainly as she slipped out of his lap, "would it be ok if I stayed here tonight?" He found himself hoping she would agree. Kagome met his gaze and smiled.

"If it's alright with Sesshomaru, then it is fine with me," she stated, "just don't keep him up too late, he needs his rest to fully recover… and no midnight mochi cakes this time." Rin blushed slightly then looked at him hopefully. He nodded and was treated to another one of her exuberant hugs. A few moments later, Inuyasha and Kagome left wishing him and Rin a good night. Rin left briefly to retrieve her night clothes from the other hut and soon they were curled up under the warm covers. He found the close contact comforting as he felt sleep slowly approaching. They had slept curled together during many chilly nights in the woods, but he had always worn his armor which shielded him from her warm soft body. He found his lack of armor these past few days gave him a new appreciation towards being close with his ward. _'Is it just my human body's sensitivity to temperature?' _he wondered. He didn't think so, but he decided he would test it after the curse ended. He let his mind drift to the events of the day and found himself actually thankful to his aunt. _'Would I have been able to finally grieve for my father and let go of all the pain without this curse?' _He had a feeling he wouldn't have been able to. He shifted slightly, getting comfortable next to Rin and fell into a deep, restful sleep.


	9. Chapter 8: Helplessness

**A Taste of Humanity  
**

**Disclaimer:** Sesshomaru and all characters from Inuyasha are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, not me. This story is for entertainment purposes only; I make no profit from it.

**A/N:** Please take a moment to vote in my new profile poll. Reviews are appreciated. Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 8: Helplessness**

Sesshomaru awoke, but felt reluctant to stir. He was warm and quite comfortable. An equally reluctant Rin was curled in his arms. _'In moments like this I can see how my father could fall for a human woman,' _he mused. _'Rin deserves better than a life with a demon. Though the mate mark is supposed to lengthen a human's lifespan…' _He tried to pull his thoughts away from that train of thought. He remembered Kagome insisting on finishing her 'school' and waiting until she was 18, an adult by her time's standards, before becoming his brother's mate even though he had heard the old miko, Kaede, mention 13 was marrying age in this era. Still, he was not going to take Rin as his mate so young. _'Wait, I did not just…' _he sighed. _'Rin said she saw me as family, not a mate, and I have no interest in mating with ANY female right now.' _Satisfied, he glanced down at Rin. '_Regardless of what lies in our future,'_ he decided, _'I will be glad to have her by my side.' _They lay together, each feigning sleep, until a large rumble disturbed them. He tried to ignore the sound, but it persisted. Growling even though he wasn't a demon anymore, he reluctantly removed the covers, causing Rin to moan in protest.

"Rin…" he said gently. She glanced up at him sleepily and smiled.

"Rin likes lying here with you milord," she admitted. He smiled and nodded.

"Indeed," he replied softly, "this Sesshomaru enjoys it as well, but this one requires sustenance." As if in reply, a softer rumble came from her tummy. "You should eat as well." Nodding, she grabbed her kimono and went into a small side room which housed a large tub. He waited for her to emerge from the room and they left the hut together. The weather was again sunny and warm, with a gentle breeze that reminded him a Kagura. He had found Rin's comment about the mischievous wind demoness being in love with him amusing until he had found her dying later. He wondered briefly if they would've become mates if she had lived to see Naraku defeated. _'What is with my thoughts constantly bringing up mates today?'_ Shrugging it off, he settled down beside Rin and had breakfast with Kagome and his brother.

"You two slept in late," Inuyasha commented, "feeling better today?" Sesshomaru nodded. "Good. There have been more demons around the village lately. Nothing too strong, but I could sure use some help keeping the buggers away from the villagers."

"Sesshomaru is not going to fight demons in his condition Inuyasha!" He saw his little brother flinch, expecting the dreaded word to be next. It irked him that she did not think he was capable, but then he realized all his swords were useless to him as a human. All three were demon swords and only a demon could wield them. Also, his poison whip and claws were gone. He was completely helpless. He pulled his thoughts away from the dark path they were heading towards and focused on the conversation.

"Keh," Inuyasha muttered, "I know that! I was referring to Miroku and Sango. They said they would be back today." Sesshomaru felt a bit stung by Inuyasha's words, but had to admit he was right. Though they were only humans, the monk and slayer were quite experienced fighting demons while he was still getting used to the limitations of his human body. Even the slayers brother, Kohaku, was capable of killing demons and he was barely older than Rin.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome yelled at her mate, "You can be such a jerk!" She turned to him and smiled reassuringly. "He didn't mean to imply you couldn't help Sesshomaru…" He raised his hand to silence her.

"No," he said calmly, "my brother is right. All my swords are_ demon_ swords and I no longer have my demon powers either. Even if I were not weakened by the illness, I would still be helpless." It was hard to admit it, even to them. Rin hugged him, drawing him out of his suddenly dark mood.

"Ah-Un can help," she chirped, "Jaken is pretty useless though." Everyone chuckled at that and even Sesshomaru managed a smile. Inuyasha agreed the dragon would be helpful and soon left to team up with the two-headed steed.

Their meal finished, Kagome went to help a young woman who complained of stomach trouble. Rin led him by the hand back through the village. The women seemed to be gathered around something. Curious, he let her guide him towards the growing crowd. It was a young half-demon. Its long silver hair and golden eyes reminding him of his own, though the tell-tale hanyou ears twitched anxiously. It was very young, far younger than most hanyou he had encountered away from their parents. Slowly, he approached the pup. It whimpered and tried to crawl away from him as he knelt down beside it. _'Far too young,' _he thought, _'it needs its parents still.'_ He had a sinking feeling that this innocent pup had lost its parents, perhaps to the very demons lurking about the village. _'This pup is probably the reason there are so many demons lately. Many lower demons would find this pup a treat.' _The pup stared at him, its ears forward.

"I will not harm you," he said softly. The pup sniffed at him, inching closer cautiously. He waited patiently for the pup to approach. When it had come within reach, he scooped it up gently and stood. It yelped and struggled, but he held firm. "Cease your struggles pup. I will not harm you, but there are plenty outside this village who would." The pup quieted. He noticed the women around him nodding and whispering quietly about what to do with the 'demon child that looked a great deal like Inuyasha'. Sesshomaru had never cared for half-demons, but for some reason this one did remind him of his brother. He remembered when Inuyasha had lost his mother; he had not protected him from the demons that sought him time and time again. He despised him, even wished him dead. Though he had smelled too much of their father that he had spared him when they met. He had explained it away, that to do so was 'wasting his time'. Now he held a similar 'half-breed' though a much younger one. Glancing down at the pup in his arms he noticed it had fallen asleep. He walked back to where he had last seen Kagome, hoping she would provide a clue as to what was to be done with the pup.

He found her talking to an old man. After handing him a small bundle, the old man left. Sesshomaru watched her eyes widen as he approached her. As he did, the pup awoke. Yawning wide, its ears twitched around, taking in the various sounds of the village.

"Where did you get her?" she asked him, "She looks a lot like Inuyasha, though her hair seems more like yours… wait this isn't…" He shook his head, surprised she would think he had sired a hanyou pup. He explained what happened. Nodding, she reached out to take the pup, but was greeted by fierce growls.

"Enough," he gently admonished, "Kagome means you no harm." The pup seemed quite reluctant to believe him and instead buried herself deeper into his arms. Sighing, he noticed Kagome smiling.

"Seems she trusts you," she said, "I see no harm in letting her stay with you. She doesn't seem seriously hurt, just a few scrapes."

"This Sesshomaru knows little of raising pups," he confessed. He noticed she merely chuckled.

"You've managed well enough raising Rin," she reminded him, "I'll see what Inuyasha says when he finishes with the demons. Until then," she hurried into her hut and came back out with her bag, "here. I've gathered a few items you might need. Rin will help and I'm just a few huts away." She then grabbed a few supplies of her own. "I need to go check on Aimi. She was badly hurt by one of the demons." _'Aimi,' _he thought, _'that woman who cursed me was named Aimi.'_ She must have noticed his recognition for she nodded. "Yes, she's been staying here since she brought you. She's very old and the wounds are quite deep. I will do what I can for her." With that she left. He looked at Rin, uncertain what to do. He realized he worried about his aunt and felt he should go see her, but he did not want to get in the way. Focusing on the young pup in his arms, he decided to go back to the hut he was staying in. He had a feeling the small hut would give the girl more security than being outside. Dens were common shelters for dog demons, so the girl probably had lived in a cave or large burrow not far from the village.

Once they entered the hut, the pup tried to wiggle out of his arms. He gently set her down and she began sniffing everything inside. He knew she would smell four fairly strong scents in the hut and one would most likely give her pause. He saw her sniffing the spot he had seen his brother sit often and knew he was right. She stayed there for awhile, eyes wide and nose twitching furiously.

"That's my brother, Inuyasha," he stated calmly. "You should recognize the other three." She looked at him for awhile, unsure what to do. Cautiously, she nodded and continued smelling the rest of the hut. When she was done, she began to sniff Rin. She barely came up to Rin's knees so she knelt down for the girl.

"I'm Rin," she said sweetly, "what's your name?" The pup seemed shy of Rin and backed away. Sesshomaru knelt beside the pup and she ran into his arms. _'This is the second child that shows no fear of me.' _Gently, he tilted her face up to his.

"I am Lord Sesshomaru. What is your name pup?" She looked down and seemed to think on his question. He worried the child was too young to know her name.

"Zukiko," she said softly, "I am Zukiko." _'Moon child,' _he mused, thinking of his missing crescent moon marking. She tilted her head up a bit more and he noticed a small moon on her forehead under her bangs. It was more curved, the tips almost touching, and soft lilac in color instead of the darker violet of his.

"That's a very pretty name, Zukiko," Rin commented. "Where are your parents?" Zukiko glanced up at him and sighed.

"Dead," she said, a soft whimper escaping, "The demons surrounded us. Daddy died fighting them. Mommy told me to run and then attacked the demon that killed daddy." She began to snuffle and he wrapped his arms around her a bit tighter. She turned to him, burying her face into his chest. He felt his shirt getting wet, but didn't push the pup away. He had no idea how to comfort the girl since he had been equally helpless when Rin had cried. It seemed his embrace was enough for he noticed she had fallen asleep again. Careful not to wake her, he carried her to the bed. She curled into the blanket he draped over her and mumbled his name in her sleep. '_For a demon who claims to hate both humans and half-demons, I seem to be collecting them.' _Turning to Rin, he decided to see what Kagome had packed for the pup. Small rags, some clean clothes that seemed her size, and an array of small jars of what seemed to be food judging by the labels were the bulk of the contents.

"She's like me," Rin whispered. He nodded silently.

"You were much older though, she is too young to be without her parents." He was surprised he felt such a bond with the pup. _'What happened to being cold-hearted, to showing no weakness?' _Yet he couldn't just abandon the girl. He noticed her whimpering again and sat beside her. Reaching a tentative hand out, he gently rubbed her back as he had done on occasion with Rin when she had had nightmares. She quieted and snuggled closer to him. He felt Rin sit beside him.

"Kagome was right, milord," she whispered, "She does trust you." It surprised him that the girl would trust him, yet be afraid of Kagome and even unsure of Rin. _'I have killed thousands of demons, humans, and hanyou without mercy or remorse,' _he reflected, _'of all of those to trust, I should be the last.' _He stayed there in the dark hut, comforting Zukiko and wondering when his brother would finish with the demons. Rin stayed by his side, seeming to understand his need for support. _'Here I sit in a human hut with a helpless pup and a nearly helpless human,' _he mused, _'demons circle the village and I am equally helpless to stop them if they decide to attack this hut.' _He disliked the situation he had be put in, but found himself worrying not about himself as he would've thought, but worrying about Rin and Zukiko. _'I may not have my swords or my demon powers, but I refuse to let such filth harm what is mine!' _He wrapped his arm around Rin and waited.


	10. Chapter 9: Danger

**A Taste of Humanity  
**

**Disclaimer:** Sesshomaru and all characters from Inuyasha are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, not me (Zukiko and Aimi are mine though). This story is for entertainment purposes only; I make no profit from it.

**A/N:** Please take a moment to vote in my new profile poll. Reviews are appreciated. Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 9: Danger**

A small tug roused him from a nap he hadn't realized he took. Golden eyes looked up at him innocently. When she saw him looking at her, she stopped.

"Hungry," she said softly, a hand on her tummy. Getting up, he picked a jar labeled 'rabbit' and a spoon. He sat back on the bed and opened the jar. It contained minced bits of meat in a reddish sauce. He noticed the pup leaning towards the jar, nose twitching. She did not reach for the jar so he scooped some of the meat onto the spoon and offered it to her. She opened her mouth obediently and he placed the spoon inside. He noticed her teeth were just starting to come in so more solid food would pose a problem for her. A small tug pulled him from his musings and he took the now-empty spoon and refilled it for her. He repeated this until the jar was completely empty. He discarded the jar and spoon. Without thinking, he gently licked the meat that had collected on the sides of her mouth instead of using one of the rags provided. It was an instinctive dog demon behavior that seemed to have remained though he was human for now. Zukiko seemed to expect it from him and did not resist the gesture. _'From what she said occurred, it is likely it was her father that was the demon. Though I smell human, I am male thus she is probably associating the behavior by gender.'_ He wondered what her reaction would be once the curse ended. Would she fear his powerful aura? Would she recognize him as the same person? He found himself hoping she would still run to him like she did now.

A loud crash and terrified screams interrupted the peaceful moment. He had a feeling a demon had gotten into the village. _'It will smell the pup and come here.'_ Though unsure how he would battle a demon in his current predicament, he felt determination well up within him. Glancing about the hut, he found a small hand axe. He hoped it would be enough. The crashes were getting closer. Chancing a quick peak outside, he saw the demon lumbering steadily towards the hut. Villagers were running at it with spears, while the women and children sought shelter away from the beast. It resembled a giant centipede, its red segments armed with a pair of black spear-like limbs and a huge head equipped with enormous pincers. He glanced down at the hand axe. It was barely the length of his lower arm, its curved blade designed for wood-cutting. Turning to the girls, he saw them huddled together.

"Rin," he said, trying to keep the growing fear from his voice, "You need to get Zukiko out of here. Find Kagome and remember to take the bag." He saw her nod and he strode out the hut, wishing he had something better than a small wood-cutting axe to fight the demon with. He felt the girls rush out of the hut behind him. The demon sensed their movement and, with a huge roar, lunged towards them.

"You will not have what is mine!" he cried, swinging the axe at the centipede's head. It plunged deep into the demon's head, causing it to scream and thrash about. Before he could let go of the axe, the demon threw its head up into the air, rearing its body up in defiance. He clutched the axe desperately. He noticed a figure rushing away from the demon, hardly able to recognize the bright orange of Rin's kimono at his current height. Scrambling and picking some colorful words that would be more likely to be heard from his brother's mouth than his, Sesshomaru managed to climb onto the centipede's head. The demon shook its massive head, trying to dislodge the frantic Sesshomaru from his precarious perch atop the monster's head. He felt his insides trembling, his whole body panicking. The axe slipped free. Grabbing the tiny weapon in both hands, he swung it down into the prior wound with all his might. Thick black blood poured from the wound and the centipede shuddered. His grip on the axe weakened, the blood making the handle slick. With a final death throw, the demon whipped itself like a bucking horse. Having lost his hold on the axe, Sesshomaru was flung from the demon's head as it crashed down in a heap, dead.

As he felt his body sailing unprotected through the air, he realized he was about to die. _'At least Rin and Zukiko are safe,' _he consoled himself, _'I wonder if Aimi survived the attack…' _He didn't know which hut had been hers, though he had a feeling very few were still standing now. He felt his body stop flying up into the sky and begin its plummet to the ground. _'And so it ends… the great Lord Sesshomaru of the Western Lands dies saving two helpless girls…' _Even though he felt it a poor end to his quest for power and conquest, he found he did not regret his actions. Closing his eyes, he spread his arms out, letting the wind dance about him as he fell.

Sooner than expected, he felt his body jerk to a stop. Though it was unpleasant, he could not say the stop was all that painful. Before he could register what had happened, he felt his body being thrust sideways in gentle, sloping arcs. Opening his eyes, he saw red. He blinked, confused. He turned his head to orient on the rest of his surroundings, but all he could see was a slightly billowing mass of red. He stopped and noticed he wasn't quite on the ground, a green blur seeming a bit too far down. He groaned and found himself dropping a bit further down, the green blur rapidly getting closer. He squeezed his eyes closed and prepared for pain. Again the pain did not come. He felt himself being propped up against something rough. He tried to make sense of his surroundings a third time. He sat against a tree in a forest of some kind. The mass of red moved closer and his vision finally cleared enough for him to recognize his little brother. He crouched in front of him, white ears alert.

"Keh," Inuyasha muttered, checking him for injuries, "I thought you said you were helpless? What the heck made you go and act all selfless and heroic anyway?"

"Are they safe?" he managed to choke out. "Rin and… Zukiko… are they…?"

"I don't know," his brother admitted, "I was trying to catch a demon that got passed Ah-Un and I when I saw it throw you and then collapse. I imagine Rin was smart enough not to be under the thing when it fell… who is Zukiko?"

"She's a hanyou, like you," he explained, "She's just a pup, her parents were killed. The demons were after her."

"So you risked your life… you would not have survived that fall you know… for a hanyou pup?" He nodded, knowing it sounded as crazy now as it had when he stepped out of the hut holding a small axe. He tried to move and pain lanced through his side. Inuyasha noticed him wincing in pain and found the wound. The smell of the demon's torn limb must have masked the smell of blood from his brother's keen nose. He could see the spear-like leg protruding from his side, surprised it only began to hurt now. "Don't move," his brother commanded, "I'll go get Kagome." He watched his brother disappear, a swift, red blur in the deep, green forest.

He felt hands on his side and realized he had fallen asleep. Opening his eyes he saw the demon leg lying on the ground beside him. He glanced down at his side, noting the excessive amount of blood pooled on the ground and soaking his clothes. White bandages covered the wound. Though he hadn't moved, he felt dizzy. He unsteadily leaned back against the tree and closed his eyes.

"You've lost a lot of blood," he heard Kagome explain. "You will feel weak and dizzy for awhile until your body restores your blood supply." He opened his mouth to ask about the girls, but she seemed ready for him. "Rin and Zukiko are fine." He felt a smile tug at his lips and decided he was too tired to keep it hidden. He heard something land nearby and glanced up to see Ah-Un approach. The two-headed dragon gently nuzzled him and he gave it a reassuring pat. With some help from his brother and Kagome, he mounted the steed. Kagome sat behind him, making sure he did not topple out of the saddle, which Inuyasha ran alongside. When they landed in the village, a chorus of cheers erupted. _'They are cheering for me,' _he realized, _'the same villagers that shrank in fear of me when I visited Rin now are treating me like a hero.' _He found it felt quite nice to be honored by these humans. As he scanned the crowd for the two girls, he heard them shouting above the cheers.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" they chorused. Zukiko opted to run to him on all fours instead of waiting for Rin to carry her up to him. He had barely slid down off the saddle when the little hanyou pup careened into him. Luckily, she was extremely light and he easily scooped her up into his arms. She nuzzled his face affectionately and he felt her warm, wet tongue licking his nose. Smiling, he gave her nose a lick in return. Rin eyes widened at the sight of his bandages, but greeted him with a gentle hug anyway. Balancing the pup in one arm, he wrapped his other around Rin. He heard the cheers die down as Rin led him to their hut, one of only three left standing. The crowd dispersed and the villagers got to work rebuilding their homes and burying the dead. Before entering the hut, he turned to Kagome.

"Did Aimi…?" Kagome looked sad and shook her head.

"She was in one of the huts that the demon crushed," she replied sadly, "I'm sorry you never got to say goodbye." He nodded his understanding, sadness filling him.

"…or thank you." he said softly. He entered the hut and sat on the bed. Rin curled up beside him as Zukiko snuggled deeper into his arms. His heart felt heavy at the deaths the demons caused. Zukiko's parents, his aunt Aimi, and many other villagers he did not know the names of. He found he was grateful that Rin and Zukiko were safe as well as Kagome and even his younger brother, Inuyasha. He heard a tiny yawn and looked down at Zukiko settling into his arms for a nap. Rin also seemed to be tired from the day's events as he felt her leaning into him and felt her breathing even out. Content that all would be well, he closed his eyes and fell asleep.


	11. Chapter 10: Love

**A Taste of Humanity  
**

**Disclaimer:** Sesshomaru and all characters from Inuyasha are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, not me (Zukiko is mine though). This story is for entertainment purposes only; I make no profit from it.

**A/N:** Reviews are appreciated. Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 10: Love**

A gentle humming caused Sesshomaru to stir. He recognized the tune as one of Rin's favorites. Blinking the sleep out of his eyes, he saw her holding Zukiko, a strange container full of white liquid in one hand. For a moment, he found himself marveling at the sight. _'She will make a wonderful mother someday,' _he realized. _'Is it my human state that has me focusing so much on females?' _He had noticed many young human males trying to gain the attention of females often during his time in the village, yet he had never thought much of their antics before. _'So many strange thoughts and feelings, yet…' _he continued to watch Rin feeding Zukiko, _'I think I'm beginning to understand what my father and aunt wanted me to know. Humans may have a shorter lifespan, but they live each day to its fullest. While I've wandered for centuries never truly living…' _He gently stretched, careful of his bandages. Rin heard his soft grunt and turned to him.

"Did you sleep well, milord?" He nodded and tried to get out of bed. He didn't remember lying down in the bed or pulling a blanket over himself. Noticing his puzzled look, Rin smiled. "I didn't think sleeping upright was good for your injuries, milord. You must've been truly exhausted to not have noticed when we moved you." His eyebrow rose.

"We?" Sesshomaru queried. Rin nodded as she put down a squirming Zukiko. The young pup immediately ran to him and snuggled into his lap.

"Kagome helped," she replied, "She came in to check on you and found us all asleep." She blushed slightly then quickly changed the topic. "Are you hungry? Kagome was making dinner a short while ago…" He barely had time to nod before she hurried out of the hut. A small sound caught his attention and he looked down. Zukiko lay curled up in his lap sound asleep. He noticed she was dreaming as her hands and feet would occasionally twitch in response to whatever was in her dream. He felt her tiny hands grasp his pants tightly as she whimpered. Uncertain what to do, Sesshomaru gently stroked her hair and back. She quieted at his touch and whispered a single word. He straightened, shocked by what the pup in his lap was implying. _'No, she is dreaming. She doesn't realize who is with her. Surely she doesn't see me as her…' _He tried to calm his racing thoughts with little luck. Just as he felt his calm returning she repeated the word, though it held a questioning tone. He looked down at her and noticed her eyes were now staring up at him.

"Will Lord Sesshomaru… will you…" she innocently asked the Lord of the Western Lands, "will you be my new daddy?" He felt as if all the air in the tiny hut left with that question. He had indeed grown quite close to the young pup, but to adopt her? He saw the hope in the girl's eyes and did not want to hurt her.

"This Sesshomaru," he felt his throat tighten, "is not really human. I am an inuyokai and Lord of the Western Lands. To adopt you would place you in great danger." She blinked slowly at him.

"Rin seems safe with you," she stated, "is it because… because I'm dirty?" He was shocked. _'She _is_ a half-breed, but dirty? No, I don't see hanyou as dirty simply because of their mixed blood anymore.' _He shook his head.

"No, Zukiko, your hanyou blood doesn't make you dirty, simply different. This one's half-brother is a hanyou like you." He paused to stroke her cheek. "You are very young and a target for demons. Travelling with me would increase that danger." Even as he said that, he found himself wondering if she would truly be safer away from him. He was a force to be feared and many lesser demons avoided him. His powerful aura would deter many demons that would normally be lured by the thought of an easy meal. She would no doubt attract more demons to him, those foolish enough to risk his wrath, but so did Rin. Sighing, he decided. "If you still wish this Sesshomaru to be your father in two days, then so be it." Her tiny face lit up with a smile quite similar to Rin's. Obviously satisfied with his answer, Zukiko settled back down to sleep in his lap.

He looked up from his lap to see Rin had arrived with dinner. With his extensive injuries he found it difficult to hold his chopsticks correctly and quickly grew frustrated as the ramen fell, uneaten, back into the cup for the sixth time. He was ready to throw the chopsticks when a hand gently took them. He watched as Rin gracefully grabbed some of the noodles in the chopsticks and held them out for him. He ate the proffered ramen and watched as she gathered up more for him. _'She's treating me like Zukiko,' _he grumbled, _'I am no pup!' _He realized he must've shown his anger for Rin had stopped feeding him.

"Milord?" she asked, "Is the ramen not to your liking?" He shook his head and huffed in annoyance. "Do you dislike me feeding you? I saw Kagome feeding Inuyasha like this when he was seriously hurt… I can have her do it if you don't want me to…" He shook his head again, realizing she did not see him as a weak pup. _'She is just trying to help,' _he mused, _'I am not mad at her, but at these injuries. Humans heal so slowly. It is rather odd though. With shorter time to live you would think they would heal quickly while demons, with much longer lives, would heal slowly. Hmph, now I sound like father…' _He allowed Rin to finish feeding him the ramen in the cup and she happily went to refill it. He caught a glimpse passed the door as she left and noticed the light outside was fading fast. _'Even with Aimi dead the curse will remain for another day. What will happen to these feelings when it ends? Will they disappear? Do I want them to?' _He let the questions remain unanswered as Rin returned with more food. He decided to enjoy this moment and let whatever happened later wait.

The night passed was quiet, yet Sesshomaru found sleep elusive. His muscles were sore from his battle earlier and his wounds were itching as they healed. Careful not to wake Rin or Zukiko, he left the hut. He slowly made his way to what was now his favorite tree and eased himself onto the ground. The stars glittered in the velvet sky above and he noticed there was no moon tonight. Suddenly he heard a noise behind him and tried to turn towards it. Pain caused him to grunt and wince from the movement and he heard a low chuckle.

"Keh, you're lucky I'm not another demon trying to eat you." He watched his younger brother plop down beside him. He noticed his brother's dog ears and silver hair were gone. Inuyasha noticed the raised eyebrow and nodded. "Yeah, the night of the new moon is my human night. I'm surprised it took you this long to realize it."

"I never cared to know, little brother," Sesshomaru replied calmly. Deciding to change the topic, he continued. "Tomorrow is the last day of this curse."

"Bet you're happy about that," Inuyasha quipped, "still what's going to happen? I figured with Aimi's death the curse would've dissolved or something." Sesshomaru sighed.

"She had told me it would last seven days regardless of what happened to her. I was half-hoping she only said that to avoid me killing her."

"Wait, only half? Could it be the great Lord of the Western Lands actually _likes_ being human?" Even though it hurt, Sesshomaru found great pleasure in smacking his foolish sibling upside the head, causing the hanyou turned human to fall face first into the grass. He allowed himself a small smirk to form on his lips as he watched Inuyasha spit out dirt and grass he had accidently eaten and brush off his robes. "You're getting as bad as Kagome with her sits." Sesshomaru felt the snicker bubble up and before he could stop it, he was laughing heartily as his brother imitated a fish.

"Are you sure you aren't a fish yokai? With that face you would fit right in!" Sesshomaru was laughing harder than he had in a very long time. He watched as his brother's face reddened to match his fire rat robes. His little brother growled and launched himself at him. Luckily for Sesshomaru, Inuyasha mostly missed and ended up tumbling down the hill, emitting some very colorful expletives as he went.

In a few moments, a sullen Inuyasha stomped up the hill and sat down beside him again. He noticed his little brother was trying to hide a pout behind his anger, but was failing. Not wanting his younger brother's foul mood to fester, Sesshomaru cautiously placed an arm on his shoulder.

"…Sorry, I forgot." Sesshomaru looked at Inuyasha thoughtfully.

"It's alright," he glanced down the hill, "seems you were hurt more than me with that 'attack'." They sat in silence for awhile and soon Sesshomaru heard a soft rumbling beside him. He turned carefully and noticed his brother had fallen asleep, cradling Tetsusaiga in the crook of his arm. He studied his brother's human form and noticed how young he looked sleeping. _'I forget just how much younger than me he truly is,' _he mused. _'What would have happened if I had taken him in after his mother…?' _He was distracted from his thoughts as Inuyasha shifted in his sleep and was now leaning gently against him. Realizing his arm was still on his little brother's shoulder, he gently pulled him close. _'We wasted so many years trying to kill each other,' _he watched his brother sleeping peacefully, _'and now he trusts me enough to sleep next to me on his human night.' _Shifting slightly to get more comfortable, Sesshomaru, his arm firmly wrapped around his little brother, fell asleep.


	12. Chapter 11: Home

**A Taste of Humanity  
**

**Disclaimer:** Sesshomaru and all characters from Inuyasha are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, not me (Zukiko is mine though). This story is for entertainment purposes only; I make no profit from it.

**A/N:** Reviews are appreciated. Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 11: Home**

Sesshomaru awoke as the sky brightened in an array of gold, pink, and lavender. He quietly watched his brother change back as the sun's rays drenched the land in their warmth. He noted every change with interest. Hair seemed to be washed clean of the deep black to return to its shimmering silver-white, stubby nails grew and sharpened into imposing claws, and two triangular ears popped up atop his brother's head. He continued to quietly sit there as his brother's ears twitched and now-golden eyes took in the morning. He made no movement as Inuyasha sniffed the air and yawned, showing off his fangs. He had to hide his surprise as the hanyou calmly turned to him and smiled.

"Good morning," Inuyasha said, yawning once more.

"Good morning, little brother," Sesshomaru replied, slowly testing his stiff muscles.

"Today's day seven isn't it?" He nodded to his brother. "Well, I don't know about you, but I'm starving! Let's see if Kagome is done making breakfast!" He got up slowly as Inuyasha paced and hopped about impatiently. Sesshomaru was a bit surprised his brother was actually waiting for him, but quickly decided to simply accept the gesture. With a few wobbles and wincing, they made their way down the small hill to where Kagome sat preparing breakfast.

"Ah, there you two are! We were wondering where you two went," Kagome smiled and handed them their food. Turning to Rin, she quipped, "See? I told you they'd be back by breakfast! I've never known Inuyasha to skip a meal willingly!" He smirked a bit as the girls giggled together.

"…mrph mmm hrmph…" was all Inuyasha said in his defense, his mouth stuffed with food.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome admonished, "Don't speak with your mouth full!" The group dissolved into another round of giggles as Inuyasha tried to apologize around his mouthful. Sesshomaru felt himself relax for perhaps the hundredth time since he was cursed. He chuckled softly at the new habit. He felt comfortable around his brother and sister-in-law. _'These people, human and hanyou, are my family,' _he acknowledged, _'my… pack. It doesn't matter that they aren't full-blooded demons. They have their own strengths.' _He finished his meal and enjoyed the friendly conversation, making the occasional comment. He noticed they included him in their conversations though unlike many of the earlier times, it didn't feel forced or awkward. Zukiko finished eating and soon claimed his lap, snuggling contentedly into the folds of his clothing.

"So, Sesshomaru," Kagome started. He looked up at her, not sure what to make of her suddenly serious tone. "Zukiko was telling us how you agreed to be her new daddy." He glanced at his brother and saw his eyes were wide. "I know you like to wander around a great deal, but do you… do you have a home?" His eyes widened slightly. _'A home?' _he pondered her question, _'There's my mother's home, but I could never bring humans or hanyou there…'_ He frowned.

"I have never required a permanent residence since I was a child," he admitted. "Perhaps it would be unfair to Zukiko to not have such a place… yet she is a target for demons and would be unwelcome and unsafe in human villages. Inuyasha alone would not be able to fully protect her even if she were accepted here after what happened." He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. When he looked up, he saw Kagome and Inuyasha nodding in agreement with his comment.

"Keh," Inuyasha said, slipping his hands into the sleeves of his robes, "I'd gladly look after the pup, but you're right. With the destruction the last demon caused, I don't know if the other villagers would like having a 'demon-magnet' around."

"Still," Kagome chimed in, "it would not be fair to deny her a place she can call home. Somewhere she can play with other children her age." They sat and pondered the problem. Sesshomaru looked down at the girl sleeping soundly, completely unaware of the conversation about her future.

"Wait," Inuyasha remarked, breaking the silence, "Kagome if you… if we… I mean… if we had pups wouldn't we have the same problem?" Kagome's eyes widened and her cheeks flushed at the thought.

"That's true," she mused, "they'd be part demon and probably would draw demons here as well." Sesshomaru heard someone clear their throat behind him and turned to see an elderly man with a bandaged arm.

"I overheard some of your conversation Lady Kagome," he said, his voice a nasal whine, "though Kaede was happy to keep half-demons in our village, she is gone now and we can not allow this kind of danger to become commonplace. The other elders and I have decided that once you are finished training young Rika in the ways of a priestess, I'm afraid you and your demon mate must leave. The demon pup must go as well." With a flurry of robes, the man left the group.

"That ungrateful….! How dare he!" Inuyasha growled and began to stand up.

"It's alright Inuyasha," Kagome coaxed the seething hanyou back down. "They are concerned for their safety, that's all." Her eyes lit up and Sesshomaru had a feeling she had an idea. "What if we moved to the other side of the forest? There's a large stream and a field with plenty of herbs and flowers. I'm sure Miroku and Sango would join us and Sesshomaru can have a hut for Rin and Zukiko."

"You're right," Inuyasha agreed, "it's a good 5 days walk away, so we would be far enough away from this village." As they finished deciding, Sesshomaru heard a loud slap and the distinctive cry of "Sango". Sure enough, Kirara appeared carrying the two demon slayers and the monk. They landed nearby and were greeted warmly by Kagome and Rin. Sesshomaru stood by his brother feeling nervous. Zukiko watched the group uncertainly as they approached.

"Is that?" Kagome nodded to the monk, "and who's the little one in his arms?" Kagome smiled.

"Her name is Zukiko," she said, "She's a hanyou like Inuyasha. Her parents were killed so Sesshomaru has agreed to adopt her." He watched the monk's face express surprise and shock and felt his lips curl into a small smile.

"Do you have a problem with this Sesshomaru's decision?" He raised an eyebrow for effect and was rewarded with a stammering and flailing monk.

"Geez Sesshomaru," Kagome chided, "You're going to give him a heart attack!" He simply allowed the smirk to grow and quietly chuckled.

"D..did he just… is he laughing at us?" Sango looked at him, clearly nervous even though he was still human. He watched as Kagome calmed her friends down and began to explain what had happened while they were gone.

"Well, that explains why our hut is now rubble," Miroku stated. "If you want I can talk to the elders about letting you…"

"No, it's alright," Kagome assured the monk, "We decided it's better to just move to the other side of the forest, by the field I get a number of my herbs from anyway. It'll be easier to have it closer and easy access to water would be handy too."

"Kagome," Sesshomaru asked, "How much longer until 'Rika' is fully-trained?" He saw her smile.

"Actually," she replied, "I was going to test her on some things today and then tell her she's ready. She's a smart girl and has picked up everything quickly, though she tends to have issues with me being mated to Inuyasha." She sighed. "Guess I should get packing…" He was about to say something when Inuyasha pulled her into a hug.

"We will pack," he said, nuzzling into her hair, "you have enough to deal with. I'm sure the six of us can manage to pack up a single hut."

"I hope so!" Kagome said, laughing. She headed off to find Rika, leaving them to pack. He watched Inuyasha roll up his sleeves and fix a determined look onto his face. Zukiko chose that moment to wake up and reach for Rin. He handed the girl to her reluctantly.

"Pfft," Inuyasha muttered as he marched inside, "It's just one tiny hut. How hard can packing the stuff in it be?" Sesshomaru glanced at the others and saw Sango and Rin shaking their heads. Within moments, a loud crash in the hut could be heard followed shortly by a very long list of expletives. Sesshomaru chuckled, causing Sango to flinch.

"He truly is hopeless," he said. He raised an eyebrow at the others, "how does she put up with him?" The monk chuckled, relaxing around him finally.

"It is indeed a great mystery," the monk replied, "I believe the beads help somewhat though."

"Perhaps," Sesshomaru agreed. They approached the hut, which was quieter now. Only an occasional mutter or crash was heard. Peering inside, Sesshomaru saw his brother amid a vast collection of pots which seemed to have toppled onto him.

"Don't say a word," his brother growled, his ears twitching. Shrugging, he went over to another section of the hut and began sorting through the cabinets. A familiar growl outside told him Ah-Un had come to help. Taking a few bundles in hand, he went to the dragon. Zukiko was being sniffed by the two-headed mount. He noticed she stood stiffly; the only movement visible was her ears which were twitching as the dragon sniffed near them.

"Zukiko," he called, "it is fine. Ah-Un will not hurt you." He approached the dragon, securing the bundles to his back. The heads turned to him and nuzzled his side. He gave each neck an affectionate pat. He felt a tug on his leg and scooped her up into his arms. He noticed this gave her confidence as she now reached for one of the heads.

"Ah-Un," she declared, "um, Daddy? Which is 'Ah' and which is 'Un'?" He smiled. He enjoyed hearing her call him 'daddy' and hoped it would continue. _'Rin was the one who named them,' _he mused, _'I have no idea which is which.' _He felt relieved when Rin came out the hut and loaded some more bundles onto the dragon. Turning to her, he repeated Zukiko's question.

"Zukiko would like to know which is 'Ah' and which is 'Un'." Rin's face lit up as she smiled.

"This is 'Ah'," she declared, pointing to the right head, "and this is Un," pointing to the left one. Zukiko frowned slightly.

"Will they eat me?" The dragon snorted and huffed at the pup.

"No Zukiko," he replied, "Ah-Un doesn't eat meat, only plants." She relaxed, smiling once more. He let her climb onto the saddle and went back into the hut to help pack. _'Such a menial task,'_ he thought, _'yet I do not mind helping.' _He noticed the monk beside him, a bundle of herbs in hand.

"I never thought I would see the fearsome Lord of the Western Lands packing up the contents of a hut," he glanced over at Inuyasha, finally disentangled from the pots.

"It is partly my fault they must move," he explained. "Why are you helping?" He felt uncomfortable around the monk though was willing to listen. His brother held the monk's advice in high regard, though probably never would admit it.

"Kagome and Inuyasha are my friends," the monk replied, "helping friends and family can be quite rewarding." He nodded in agreement and went to load more supplies. He noticed Kirara beside Ah-Un, Zukiko jumping playfully from the back of one to the other. He secured the bundle and looked up just in time to catch a leaping Zukiko in his arms.

"Daddy!" she cried, snuggling into his arms. _'Wasn't it only yesterday that her parents were killed?'_ he mused, _'How can she accept me as her father so soon?' _Concerned, he decided to ask the pup.

"Zukiko," her large golden eyes looked up into his dark brown ones. "You lost your father yesterday…" She shook her head.

"No," she insisted, "Mommy and daddy were killed..." She paused to count her fingers, "8 days ago." _'Eight days?'_ he thought, _'She was struggling all alone for six days. That's quite impressive for one so young.' _He looked down at the pup in his arms. _'Rin was eight when she began following me, this pup is older only because she's half-demon. If she were a human child, she would be three, maybe four, years old.' _He was startled from his thoughts as she continued. "It was scary and I was so hungry. Before I left Mommy, she told me to be strong. She said to hide well. I'm good at hiding, up high in trees or in burrows."

"You did well," he stated softly. "I will keep you safe now." She smiled, content with his promise. He noticed the last of the hut's contents were loaded onto Kirara. He glanced about and noticed the others had started a fire for tea. His brother waved him over and he sat between him and Rin. Zukiko jumped into Rin's lap as she saw a small jar being retrieved from the yellow bag. Tilting towards Rin's ear, he whispered, "I can feed her." Smiling, she nodded and handed him the food. Zukiko, noticing that Rin wasn't going to feed her, jumped back into his lap. He smiled, enjoying how obedient she was when fed. _'I could be quite obnoxious at her age,' _he recalled. He was vaguely aware of the conversation as he fed Zukiko and tried to ignore the way the female demon slayer was staring at him. He just finished scraping the last of the food out of the jar when Kagome returned looking disheveled and a bit upset. She plopped down between Inuyasha and Sango and poured herself some tea.

"She can be such a…" Kagome muttered, "…I take the time to… …and then she… UGH!" He watched Inuyasha flinch and wondered what this Rika person had said to Kagome to get her so riled up. He felt his hand clench at the thought of some human wench insulting his sister-in-law. _'Strange,' _he pondered, _'a few days ago I didn't care who insulted her. She was just another bothersome human.' _He shrugged off the thought as the others finished the tea. As they got up, Kagome seemed to have calmed down. "Alright," she said, "everything packed?" A round of nods answered her. "Great, let's get out of here. I guess Sesshomaru, Rin, and Zukiko can ride Ah-Un… Sango, Miroku, and Kohaku can ride Kirara… and I'll go with Inuyasha, ok?" A second round of nods followed and soon everyone was mounted on their designated mount.

After so long in the village, Sesshomaru found the forest refreshing. Even as a child, he had always enjoyed being out in nature instead of in some building, no matter how lavish. He remembered many nights where he had decided to sneak out into the garden after being tucked into bed. His father usually found him asleep in a tree or by the pond and would return him to his bed before his mother found him. He let his mind wander to the idea of having a home again after so long. _'Though the trip is 5 days walking, we are all flying, save Inuyasha,'_ he mused, _'We may reach the other side tomorrow.' _He sighed. _'I will become a demon again tomorrow. I should be relieved, yet I'm… worried.' _He tried not to dwell on his worries and focused on Zukiko, who seemed fascinated by the ground as it whizzed by below them. Rin noticed his tension and gave him a gentle squeeze as she held onto him. He relaxed a bit more and enjoyed the scenery as they made their way to their new home. _'Home,' _he thought, _'Wait, I have no idea how to build a hut…'_ He guided Ah-Un down to fly alongside Inuyasha.

"When we get to this area you spoke of, what then?" Kagome glanced at him and smiled.

"Don't worry Sesshomaru," she replied, "Inuyasha and Miroku both built the original huts we left behind. I'm sure they'll help you build yours." Satisfied, he let Ah-Un climb higher. _'I will build a hut for Rin and Zukiko…' _he blinked, _'Inuyokai males dig burrows for their mates and pups… perhaps demons and humans aren't so different.'_ Determined to build the finest hut he could, he fell into a light doze.

A gentle nudge from Rin woke him from his nap and he noticed it was getting quite late. Ah-Un followed Kirara's lead and landed in a soft grassy clearing. The dragon wasted little time and began grazing on the bright green shoots. Sesshomaru slid out of the saddle and joined the others as they set up camp for the night.

"We should get there by midday tomorrow," Kagome stated to the group as dinner was cooking. "Sesshomaru, tonight's the last night of the curse, will you be ok? We can take turns staying up with you if you can't sleep." He was touched by her offer. His brother had mentioned that the group did so on his human night back when they were after Naraku.

"No, I should be fine," he assured her, "but thank you." He noticed the reactions from Sango and Miroku were less extreme now and wondered if they would be as comfortable as Kagome was with him soon. He glanced about the group feeling as if someone was missing. _'Jaken is missing,' _he realized, _'that pompous, loud-mouthed imp who thinks he's so high and mighty…' _He wondered if the foolish vassal would realize his 'great and powerful lord' had left the village he had refused to enter. _'Serves the fool right for such arrogance,' _he decided. He accepted the cup of ramen Kagome handed him and began eating. _'I will miss this,' _he admitted, relishing the camaraderie of the group. _'Will I still be accepted as part of this group tomorrow? Will I still want to be accepted?' _It seemed a bit foolish, even as he thought these things, to worry about it, but he couldn't shake the feeling he would somehow lose all he had gained in the past seven days. _'A taste of humanity she had called it. I wonder if she realized how much this would affect me.' _He sighed, another habit he had picked up. He looked up from his musings and noticed most of the others were finished and heading to bed. He finished his ramen and watched the others bunk down for the night. Sango, Miroku, and Kohaku curled up against Kirara, each offering a quiet 'good night' to him and the others. Rin took her typical position beside Ah-Un and Kagome laid out something she called a 'sleeping bag'. He noticed Zukiko was asleep in his lap and Inuyasha still sat beside him. He stood and gently placed Zukiko next to Rin and returned to his spot beside his brother. Turning to his younger brother, he saw worry in his eyes. He raised an eyebrow, trying to seem unconcerned.

"Will things change when you…?" He was comforted by Inuyasha's question, yet sadly had no answer.

"I don't know," he admitted, "Do you… want it to?" His brother shook his head.

"It was strange having you not trying to kill me every time we crossed paths after Naraku," he explained, "It was even stranger these past few days, but I…" he waited as his brother struggled for the right words. "I like actually having a brother, you know?" He nodded, ignoring the wetness in his little brother's eyes. Blinking back the mist in his own eyes, he put his arm around Inuyasha.

"I don't want this to change," he whispered, "I'd…" He couldn't believe what he was about to say, but he knew it was true. "I'd even stay a human if it was the only way to keep this." He suddenly found himself engulfed in red. Shifting slightly so he could still breathe, he returned the hug.

He had no idea how long they stayed like that, but when they released each other the fire was barely emitting any light. Reluctantly, he stood and moved to lean against a nearby tree. He was only mildly surprised when Inuyasha decided to pick the same tree to lean on. With a final smile, he wished his younger brother good night and closed his eyes.


	13. Chapter 12: The Demon Lord Reborn

**A Taste of Humanity  
**

**Disclaimer:** Sesshomaru and all characters from Inuyasha are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, not me (Zukiko is mine though). This story is for entertainment purposes only; I make no profit from it.

**A/N:** Sorry for the delay! I've run out of spare chapters and have been super busy this week. Reviews are appreciated. Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 12: The Demon Lord Reborn**

Sesshomaru awoke with a start. His senses felt on edge even though it was still dark. His dreams had been deeply troubling and he had no desire to return to them. Each time it would start happily, but mid-dream he would regain his demon powers and slaughter those he considered family and friends. The last one had his heart racing violently for he had hunted and killed his adopted daughter, Zukiko. He turned to see her peacefully sleeping beside Rin. He sighed in relief. He scanned the group, silently making sure everyone was alive and well. As he turned to check his brother, he heard him huff.

"I'm fine," his brother whispered, "it was just a dream." Surprised, he raised an eyebrow. His little brother chuckled. "I noticed your heart rate going nuts, plus your sigh was a bit loud seeing as my ear was right there." He watched the mentioned ear twitch as if in agreement.

"Sorry," he murmured. He didn't like feeling this way and part of him insisted he was being foolish.

"It's ok," Inuyasha assured him, "do you want to talk about it?" He sighed.

"It always starts out fine," he whispered, "we're usually all together, having a good time, enjoying each other's company, then…" he paused to shake off the violent images, "then I become a demon again, but it isn't me… I kill everyone." _'Pathetic,'_ a part of him hissed, _'you've become weak and pathetic… just like your father!' _He shook his head. "No…" he insisted, but the voice seemed to laugh at him. He felt a weight wrap around him and he realized it was his brother. He looked up into his brother's eyes, noticing how they seemed to glow in the moonlight.

"You're not weak or pathetic," his brother stated, holding his gaze. Sesshomaru was startled by the intensity of his brother's gaze. "That's just not who you are, demon or human, it doesn't matter." He wondered how Inuyasha knew what he had thought and realized he must have spoken at least part of it aloud. He smiled and leaned against his brother. _'Even if I'm weak, I am not alone.'_ He relaxed, enjoying the closeness they now shared. Gazing at the moon, its thin sliver barely visible in the inky blackness, Sesshomaru waited for the sun.

The two brothers watched quietly as the grey dawn pushed back the starry night sky. Sesshomaru felt his stomach twist and flutter inside him as he waited for sunrise. Soft pinks and purples streaked the sky, followed by gold and blue. Birds all around them lifted their voices in song to greet the new day. Through the green leaves, he glimpsed the sun beginning its ascent into the sky. He felt his body jolt. Looking down, he saw his nails grow into claws. His markings on his arms reappeared as he felt a flood of energy pulse through his veins. He felt his poison return. His hearing, sight, and smell became crisp again as if a heavy blanket had been removed. His fangs grew back and the black hair that draped about him changed to silver. Beside him, his mokomoko once again draped over his shoulder. Yet with all the changes, he realized one thing had not changed. He had not stopped caring. He had not lost all he had gained over the seven days. He looked over at his brother and smiled.

"I have not changed," he confided in his little brother. His brother smiled back.

"I'm glad," Inuyasha admitted. They sat in companionable silence as the morning sun gently teased the others awake. Zukiko was one of the first, her tiny mouth yawning wide as she stretched. He watched her rub the sleep out of her eyes and look about. Spying him, she began running over to him. Halfway she stopped and tilted her head. He saw her nose twitching and her eyes narrow in confusion.

"Zukiko," he said softly, "I told you I was not human, did I not?" She nodded and smiled. Running the rest of the way to him she threw her arms around him.

"Daddy!" she rejoiced. He held her close, mindful of his claws. Burying his head into her neck, he breathed in her scent, memorizing it. He heard the others shifting about and looked up. Kagome was poking the fire in preparation for breakfast. He felt Inuyasha get up and watched as he helped Kagome with breakfast. A loud slap and plaintive cry informed him that Sango and Miroku were also awake. Ah-Un grunted and huffed as Rin gave him her usual morning scratch. Sesshomaru remained against the tree, contently watching his family and friends start their day. Rin walked over and offered a jar and spoon to him.

"Unless…" she began, but he shook his head and took the jar. Opening it with far more ease than he had before, he began to feed his daughter. Around the fire, he heard tentative questions. He decided to ignore them since they were trying, albeit unsuccessfully, to not be overheard by him. _'I have not changed,'_ he thought, _'yet they exclude me now.' _He focused on feeding Zukiko and tried to not feel disappointed. He finished the jar and set it aside. He noticed someone approach him and looked up. A smiling Rin held out her hand. At first, he thought she wanted to take Zukiko, but he realized she would normally have both arms extended. He raised an eyebrow to indicate his confusion and she chuckled.

"Come join us silly," she said, her smile growing as he took her hand. He let her lead him over to the group, Zukiko draped on his mokomoko. He sat in the space next to his brother and felt Rin sit on his other side. Kagome smiled at him.

"Rin told me you don't eat 'human food'," she began cautiously. "You're welcome to try though. Perhaps you've developed a taste for _some_ human food?" She offered him a small bowl. He recognized the contents as food he had enjoyed yesterday. He took the bowl and sniffed it uncertainly. Finding the smell to be tolerable, he tasted a small sample. The flavors were far stronger than before, but not unpleasantly so. He took another bite and found it equally satisfying. _'Perhaps I have developed a taste for some human food.' _As he ate, he noticed the conversation was relaxed and comfortable. He began to wonder what had prompted the earlier secrecy. Curious, he decided to ask.

"What was the whispering all about earlier?" he asked. Inuyasha rolled his eyes and chuckled.

"Too busy feeding your _daughter_ to hear them, huh?" he chuckled and dodged the swipe aimed at his head. "Ok, ok, sheez. The girls were all whispering about how 'precious' and 'adorable' you holding Zukiko looked. I was just trying not to gag." He dodged another swipe aimed at his head, this time from Kagome sitting on the other side of him.

"You're so immature at times Inuyasha!" Everyone laughed at the indignant face Inuyasha made in reply to Kagome's accusation. Breakfast finished and soon they were packed and ready to continue on their way. Sesshomaru suggested rearranging the riding groups since he would run alongside with Inuyasha now. Kagome agreed and moved Sango with Rin on Ah-Un while Miroku and Kohaku rode Kirara. Zukiko insisted on 'riding' Sesshomaru's mokomoko and Kagome hopped onto Inuyasha's back. Inuyasha turned to him.

"We can go nice and _slow_ since you're rusty," Inuyasha offered with a mischievous grin.

"This Sesshomaru will not be the one slowing us down, _little_ brother," he replied with a matching smirk. Turning to Zukiko, he whispered, "Hang on tight daughter." She nodded and buried further into mokomoko. Within moments, the brothers were blurs of red and white as they dashed through the forest. Sesshomaru felt invigorated as he raced his brother through the trees. Though he was still stiff from his previous wounds, he was not slowed down by a full-grown adult like his younger sibling. Frequently checking on his tiny charge, he darted among the trees with wild abandon. _'This is… fun!' _he realized, _'I am actually having fun!' _

The brothers chased each other through the lush forest, neither keeping the lead for long. Soon, the trees thinned and they stopped at the edge of the forest. Sesshomaru felt invigorated from the playful chase and patiently waited for his half-brother to catch his breath. Ahead of them was a large field full of thousands of brightly colored flowers. He felt Kagome approach him and he looked down to see her smiling up at him.

"Many of these plants are important in medicines," she informed him. "Usually, Inuyasha would have to bring me here to restock." He nodded and returned his gaze to the field. _'Rin will like it here,'_ he thought, _'She loves flowers.' _He watched Kagome headed into the field, looking for medicinal herbs and flowers in the field. After a few moments to contemplate and check on Zukiko, he heard the rest of the group approach. As expected, Rin squealed with delight as she caught sight of the field of flowers. He gave her a slight nod and she ran happily to the flowers. Zukiko cocked her head to the side and looked confused.

"Daddy?" He turned his full attention to the girl. "May I play too?" A small smile formed on his lips and he nodded. Setting her down gently, he watched as she went to join Rin who was making a flower wreath. He stood for a moment, taking in the peaceful sight. _'My family is happy here,' _he mused. Kagome returned from her gathering and stood beside him. Pointing to the gently sloping hills to their right, she explained the plan.

"We can build along these hills," she stated, "on the other side is a river and small waterfall. Fish are abundant and there's a pool by the waterfall ideal for bathing." He nodded, content with the location. _'Rin can catch fish and the forest offers plenty of game,' _he considered. _'She will not need to go far for bathing either.'_

"I will scout the area," he told her, "be sure Zukiko knows I will return shortly." At her nod, he left in the direction of the waterfall.


	14. Chapter 13: Fit For A Demon

**A Taste of Humanity  
**

**Disclaimer:** Sesshomaru and all characters from Inuyasha are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, not me (Zukiko is mine though). This story is for entertainment purposes only; I make no profit from it.

**A/N:** Happy Mother's Day! This story is almost done, just a few more chapters to go, I think. Reviews are appreciated. Enjoy!

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**Chapter 13: Fit For A Demon**

Sesshomaru gazed at his surroundings, pondering his new view on life. The area was ideal for a village and yet, no village had been constructed. The reason came to him shortly as his sensitive nose picked up the scent of a demon nearby. Expecting a fight, he leapt silently towards the scent. When he found the source, he blinked.

And blinked again, just to be sure his eyes were not deceiving him. He stood overlooking the waterfall and in the pool Kagome had mentioned was indeed a demon. A very _female_ demon who seemed to agree with Kagome that the pool was perfect for bathing in. He watched her as she washed her long blue hair. He noted her skin also had a blue tint to it. _'A water demon then,' _he decided, _'that explains the lack of a human settlement.'_ He had had very little experience with these nymph-like creatures, but knew they were fiercely territorial. Purposefully stepping on a dry twig to announce his presence, he approached the demoness. He watched calmly as she spun to face him, throwing her hands up to cover herself.

"How dare you!" she screeched, "This is MY pool!" Sesshomaru merely sat on a boulder near the pool. _'Though she is far stronger, I would rather face this demoness' wrath than Kagome's.' _He luckily had avoided such altercations with his sister-in-law, but had seen plenty involving his brother. _'Even without the beads, she is not one to anger,'_ he decided. The demoness continued to fume at his interruption, though he paid no heed.

"My pack and I will be constructing our homes here," he stated, indicating where Kagome said was an ideal spot. "We will require use of this pool and the river."

"You are building a demon village near my pool?" she tilted her head quizzically.

"No," he replied, "my pack consists of humans and hanyou as well." She looked horrified at this, but he continued. "They are not like the humans you have dealt with before. They will not harm you."

"They will steal my fish and soil my pool with their human filth!" She lashed out at him, but he caught her wrist easily.

"My pack will need to eat and bathe," he explained, disliking having to waste time with the foolish demoness. She glared at him, her green eyes flashing angrily. He paused his explanation as he heard someone calling to him. He turned towards the sound to see Rin and Zukiko, flowers in hand, running towards him.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin called, panting slightly from her run, "Lady Kagome said you might be here. Zukiko wanted to give you the wreath she made." With a happy grin, Zukiko held up the slightly crooked flower wreath to him. Letting go of the demoness, he kneeled down in front of her and smiled softly. Zukiko's grin widened and she tossed the wreath onto his head.

"Pretty flowers for daddy!" she stated proudly. He nodded as she wrapped her tiny arms around his neck and returned the embrace. After the hug, he watched as Rin guided the little hanyou back to the others. Once they left, he removed the wreath from his head, but did not discard the lop-sided gift.

"You're…" the demoness stammered, "you are Lord Sesshomaru? The powerful inuyokai lord of the Western Lands and son of the mighty Inu no Taisho?" He felt a smirk tug at his lips.

"Indeed," he confirmed. The demoness seemed to reevaluate her situation. She gazed at him meekly.

"You're father was kind to my mother," she whispered, "If your pack requires use of my pool... so be it." She paused, considering something. "I will require something in return though..." He nodded, allowing her to continue. "There's a cave a short ways from here above the falls. A group of snake yokai has recently settled there and frequently harasses my sisters and I. If you could… deal with them, those of your village will have access to these waters." Sesshomaru nearly grinned. Snake yokai, even so-called strong ones, were pathetically weak demons. He nodded, agreeing to the deal. He looked up the waterfall and jumped, easily landing gracefully at the top.

The cave was not far, but a familiar strangled cry caused him to slightly quicken his pace. As expected, he found the three snake demons and a panicked Jaken. Jaken was the first to spot him and gave his usual cry of 'Lord Sesshomaru!' which Sesshomaru ignored. _'That insufferable imp is lucky I agreed to deal with these demons already,' _he mused, remembering the imp had refused to even enter the human village when he was ill. Not bothering to unsheathe his sword, he dispatched two of the demons with his claws. The third seemed a tad brighter than the others and drew a large blade.

"I will avenge my brothers you…!" He slumped down unconscious, a flustered Jaken waving his staff.

"How dare you insult Lord Sesshomaru!" he bellowed, then turning to his lord, "Oh milord, your powers have returned!" He glared at the imp who curled into a protective ball. "Um… Lord Sesshomaru?"

"This Sesshomaru was informed about your _opinion_ on the human village…" The imp trembled in front of him. "Do you dare to think you are above this one?" Jaken looked petrified.

"O-Of course not Lord Sesshomaru!" He turned to leave.

"You will not leave this cave until that snake demon is dead," he stated coldly. "Bring me its head as proof." With that he left the terrified imp.

Back at the village, he tracked down his brother and sister-in-law. They were happily planning the village layout.

"Ah, Sesshomaru," Kagome smiled, "we were just discussing where your hut could be." He peered at the roughly marked map and pointed to a spot near the woods that overlooked the flower field. Kagome nodded and he suspected she knew he would want it there.

"There is an… issue with this location that needs discussed," he began. They looked up from the map and he explained the water demoness and the snake demons. "I eliminated two of the three and tasked Jaken to deal with the third as… punishment for acting 'high and mighty' earlier." Inuyasha chuckled at that and even Kagome needed to suppress giggles.

"I'll check up on the fool in a few," Inuyasha assured them, "Snake demons are weak, but then, so is Jaken." A round of nods ended the discussion and Sesshomaru went to Miroku for guidance on building a hut for Rin and his adopted daughter.

As night approached, Sesshomaru had managed to have most of the hut completed. _'It is hardly a hut really,' _he mused as he took in the fairly large structure. It was three times the size of the previous one and had two enclosed bedrooms and a large area for tea and dining. His sharp claws had proved adept at slicing wood so instead of a straw roof as typical huts had, he created a roof of wooden shingles. All that was missing were some decorations. _'They will need pillows and furs,'_ he thought, _'and places to store clothing. Cooking supplies like Kagome has will be needed as well.'_

"You always have to outdo me, don't you?" He turned, surprised to see Inuyasha behind him. His brother's new home was also larger and fancier than the previous hut, but not quite as lavish as the one he had built. He secretly was pleased his home was indeed better than his brother's, but he had not planned it.

"It is not my fault you can't think beyond the basics," he teased. He was surprised his new relationship with his brother had retained the name-calling and insults even though the anger and hate was long gone, but found he enjoyed the playful banter.

"Basics?" his brother huffed in mock anger, "Yesterday you didn't even know how to build a house!"

"Precisely," he smirked. His brother fumed a bit longer before Rin and Kagome came over with refreshments. The brothers accepted the drinks and snacks. Sesshomaru took a mochi cake and popped it in his mouth hesitantly. He found the treat was still enjoyable in his demon form and noticed Rin seemed to study him as he chewed thoughtfully.

"Lord Sesshomaru?" she asked cautiously. Knowing what she was going to ask, he nodded.

"The flavor is much stronger, but it is not unpleasant," he informed her. She smiled, obviously pleased he still enjoyed the treat, and offered him another. Finishing the second one, he turned to Kagome. "Rin will require items similar to those you and the slayer have…"

"She can borrow mine for now," Kagome offered, "Inuyasha and Miroku often go to village in the area, dealing with demons and spirits for supplies which can be traded or sold as needed. You can join them if you want…"

"Keh," his brother huffed, "we don't need him. I barely break a sweat with most of the demons we encounter."

"That may be Inuyasha," the monk chimed in, appearing suddenly amongst the group to pilfer a mochi cake, "however considering the large influx we've encountered lately, it would be helpful to have your brother along." He stood quietly as the monk and his brother argued about him. He was tempted to refuse joining them, but he looked at Rin and Zukiko. _'I am responsible for them now,'_ he realized, _'I am their alpha. I must see to their needs.' _He watched Zukiko yawn widely and bent down to her. She glanced at him with sleep-heavy eyes and curled into his arms.

"L-Lord Se-Sesshomaru!"

The group paused and turned towards the sound. A small figure limped slowly towards them. It seemed to be struggling with something round as well as a stick of some sort.

"Jaken," Sesshomaru stated, identifying the imp. He handed Zukiko to Rin and gracefully leapt to the imp. He studied his bedraggled vassal and noted he had many wounds from his battle with the snake demon. He was mildly surprised the imp had managed to do as he asked. He had seen Inuyasha leave to check on Jaken, but did not ask about it. "Jaken," he repeated to the imp. He watched as his vassal shakily handed him the head of the snake demon.

"A-As m-milord ordered… the h-head of the snake demon," Jaken trembled violently, though Sesshomaru did not know if it was entirely from fear. He decided the small demon had been punished enough and nodded. He took the head from the imp.

"Allow the miko to tend to your wounds," he instructed, "then rest. This Sesshomaru will return shortly." He turned and headed to the pool, hoping the water demoness was still nearby. When he arrived, he noticed she was joined by three other water demonesses. He strode to them and handed her the head. She took it hesitantly, but smiled. Her sisters seemed frightened of him, but did not flee.

"Thank you, Lord Sesshomaru," she said quietly. "As agreed, your pack will be allowed to use our waters." He nodded and left them to their evening bath.


	15. Epilogue: Domesticity Interrupted

**A Taste of Humanity  
**

**Disclaimer:** Sesshomaru and all characters from Inuyasha are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, not me (Zukiko is mine though). This story is for entertainment purposes only; I make no profit from it.

**A/N:** Reviews are appreciated. Enjoy!

* * *

**Epilogue: Domesticity Interrupted**

Sesshomaru sighed as he walked beside the wagon. It had been three days since word reached the new village that a group of demons were plaguing a small farming village to the north. He had been uninterested, but Miroku had reminded him that helping the village would allow him to provide for Rin and Zukiko. The monk and brothers had gone to deal with the situation and were now heading home. As he strolled along, he wondered how Jaken was fairing in the village.

…_Jaken's New Role…_

Jaken sighed and plopped down on a small boulder as he watched the three leave. He had wanted to follow his lord, but had been relegated to babysitting… again!

"Master Jaken!" He cringed as he heard Rin's cheerful voice. _'Foolish human! What does milord see in such a pathetic creature?' _Sighing, he closed his eyes and tried to ignore her. Hearing nothing further from the girl, he cracked an eye open and, suddenly seeing Rin's face nearly touching his own, promptly fell backwards off his boulder. Brushing dirt off his robes and grumbling, he threw the girl a glare. She simply reached over and helped him up, not minding his refusals.

"I'm sorry Master Jaken," she said softly, "I was just going to ask you if you knew how to read." He grumbled some more and nodded. "Master Miroku was reading this book to Zukiko and I, it's a 'hairy tail' or something. We really want to know what happens next…" Taking the overly colorful object, Jaken looked it over. He did not want to read such foolishness to the girls, so pondered an alternative.

"Why hasn't the monk taught you to read then?" He had hoped to change the subject so Rin would forget about the story.

"Oh," Rin stood quietly for a moment, her head tilted slightly as she thought over the question. Jaken was turning away from her, trying to quietly sneak away when she piped up again. "He must think we are too busy learning all about herbs, cooking, and healing with Kagome. Would you teach us Master Jaken?" He squawked and sputtered in reply. _'Teach this human and some half-breed whelp?' _He paused, realizing how his lord had treated both girls lately. _'The pup calls milord 'daddy' and he accepts it… to be in charge of the education of the daughter of milord… even if not by blood… would be a great honor…'_ He gazed dreamily off into nothing, envisioning the praise and acknowledgement he would receive for tutoring the pup in not only reading, but other skills vital to a member of the Western Lord's family. A couple pokes on his head brought him back to reality. Sighing, he pulled himself up to his full height, still not reaching Rin's waist.

"As the great Lord of the Western Land's loyal vassal, I shall be most honored to teach his daughter, and ward, how to read and write." Trying to ignore the suddenly loud girl beside him, he went to Sango and requested blank scrolls, pens, and ink. He also collected a number of books from Kagome in addition to the 'fairy tale' one.

…_Back to Present…_

"Feh, I'll never get this stench off me…"

"Stench, dear brother? You mean besides your usual one?" Sesshomaru resisted smiling as his brother attempted, and failed, to hit him. The hanyou's resulting fall off the wagon seat into a muddy puddle, however, made his eyes sparkle with amusement.

They arrived at the peaceful village without further incidents and Sesshomaru was greeted by everyone. Miroku began recounting the battle with the bull demons, with his usual excessive flair while Sesshomaru presented Rin with the supplies he had acquired from the villagers. He was still surprised at how skillfully the monk managed to over-charge the villagers for their services. He found himself smiling as he handed Rin pots and such, but soon frowned as he caught a whiff of a familiar scent and something else.

Noticing someone was missing, he asked Rin as he held Zukiko who couldn't seem to stop giggling as she snuggled into him. Before anyone could tell him where Jaken had gotten to, the imp appeared, at least he thought it was Jaken. He raised an eyebrow as the creature came closer, its body covered in black ink and bits of paper with imperfect kanji on them. He looked to Kagome and Sango for help, but they were too busy giggling, as was Rin. Confused beyond belief, he simply stared. Zukiko finally calmed her giggles and solved the great mystery.

"Daddy," she announced happily, "Master Jaken was teaching Rin and I how to read and write." He was surprised and a bit impressed the usually cantankerous imp had taken on such a task. He nodded, and turned his attention back to the stumbling Jaken.

"Jaken," he stated in his usual impassive tone, "You will continue this… though perhaps with less mess than today." He strode to his hut, his back safely turned away from everyone, and allowed a smirk to creep onto his face. He was pleased his ward and daughter would learn and wondered if the imp would teach them other skills useful in the running of his court. Sighing, he knew he would need to 'stop by' his mother's castle and be briefed on court happenings. He did not look forward to the visit as he knew the topic of his ward would be brought up as well as the detested topic of mates. _'No doubt she'll wish to meet Zukiko as well.' _Just as he finished thinking of his mother, he caught her scent on the wind. _'Seems she won't let me delay any longer,' _he thought, frowning. Schooling his face into its usual impassive mask, he mentally prepared himself to face his mother.

Sesshomaru did not have to wait long before a large white dog came to land in the center of their small village. As expected, she transformed into her human form and sauntered over to him. He encouraged Zukiko quietly that it was indeed safe, though the girl insisted on burying herself deeply into his mokomoko.

"Is it too much for a mother to ask that her son visit her now and then?" He expected such over-dramatic antics from the woman, though her face was devoid of all the supposed emotions she claimed to feel. Hiding his desire to sigh, he greeted his mother in his typical formal greeting.

"Mother," he stated, nodding in acknowledgement. _'Now comes the hard part,' _he thought. "This is my adopted daughter, Zukiko." Managing to pry the pup from his fur, he formally presented her to his mother. He was mildly surprised to see her eyes widen and her usually unexpressive mouth form a delighted "o". She took the girl gently and began to fawn over the pup.

"Oh don't you have the prettiest eyes!" He tried not to roll his own eyes as she gushed. "And you have a little moon too!" He noticed her attention return to him as she raised an eyebrow. "She _does_ look a great deal like you. Are you sure you aren't hiding a mate somewhere?"

"No mother," he replied coolly, "this hanyou is not mine by blood, but by choice." He saw surprise flit across his mother's face. As he watched her glance down at the pup, Zukiko's ears, which had been flattened due to her nervousness, perked up. Knowing his mother's dislike for hanyou, he feared she would suddenly hurt the pup she had just fawned over.

"You take after your father in the most interesting ways," she said softly. She caressed one of Zukiko's tiny ears gently. "I formally acknowledge this pup, Zukiko, as yours. She will be your heir until you decide to take a mate and have pups of your own." He hid his surprise and simply nodded. He did not think of the pup as a potential heir, but was pleased his mother now seemed content with her adopted granddaughter. _'Perhaps she will stop _suggesting_ mates every visit.' _He doubted that, but he decided to hope for it regardless. Taking the girl back from his mother, he caught one of her rare smiles. Instantly suspicious, he raised an eyebrow. She merely chuckled.

"Sesshomaru dear," she purred, "How will you teach the girl all she needs to be a Lady of the West?"

"Jaken has already started to teach her how to read and write. She is learning other valuable skills from the miko, Kagome, and Monk Miroku as well." He saw his mother nod and was secretly relieved. _'I was half-expecting her to insist on teaching her herself!' _He took Zukiko into his arms again and watched his mother turn to leave. Before she took to the sky, she smiled at him.

"There is a gathering in five days at my home," she commented off-handedly, "It wouldn't kill you to come by and show some support for your dear mother." Without letting him refuse, she transformed and took off. He sighed internally, knowing his mother would force him to meet and socialize with every eligible female in attendance. _'And as usual that will be every female demon in Japan!' _he thought, trying not to let his exasperation show. _'Some things never change…' _he mused. Sesshomaru put his daughter down and decided to enjoy the calm before the inevitable storm.

**THE END**

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**A/N:** Sorry if the ending isn't as final as many of you may want, but I have been toying with the idea of a sequel so I wanted to leave it open a bit. Thanks so much for reading!


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